Sports club fire was arson

12:21pm Tuesday 4th December 2007

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THREE men have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a £750,000 Lottery-funded Stourport sports club was completely destroyed, today.

The Stourport Sports Club, in Kingsway, near Stourport High School and Sixth Form Centre, was gutted by a fire which started in the early hours.

More than 25 firefighters battled in vain to save the building which is used by hundreds of people including Stourport Hockey Club and Kidderminster and Stourport Athletics Club.

Speaking at the scene, Derek Aston, athletics club president, said: "Like the building I have to say I'm gutted, I don't think there's anything left."

Andrew Priest, a senior coach with the club, added: "All our equipment was in there, our tracksuits, shots, javelins.

"I'm in disbelief, totally numb really, I don't know why anybody would be so vindictive towards it.

"I mean our club is here to help the community to give people activities to do."

Firecrews were called at about 3am, bringing the fire under control 90 minutes later, and are still on the scene dampening down the building remains.

The club's roof has been completely wrecked and was still smouldering hours after the fire leaving only the exterior walls still standing.

David Williams, Kidderminster Fire Station Manager, said: "We found a fire against the front door of the club which had spread into the roof space and very quickly the whole roof was alight.

"The most difficult thing was getting the water from over 250 metres away, in Windermere Way, across the sports field and across the Kingsway."

The clubhouse including showers and changing rooms was built eight years ago together with hockey and athletics fields with the help of £1.8 million in Lottery money.

It is jointly funded by Stourport High School, through Worcestershire County Council, Wyre Forest District Council and Sport England and run as a not-for-profit company by a board of directors.

Andrew Dickens, district council head of cultural, leisure and commercial services, was called to the scene shortly after the discovery of the fire by site security guards.

He said: "We're going to maintain the service on the pitches with the help of the high school so anybody with bookings on the artificial turf can use the school's changing rooms.

"We'll look at putting a temporary building up to maintain the facilities while we look at structural damage.

"Looking at the state the building is in it is looking like we will need a total rebuild."

Hockey and football meetings arranged for tonight, from 6pm until 10pm, and in the short term are still going ahead with changing facilities provided at Stourport high.

The Kingsway, which has been closed since the fire broke out, is due to be reopened today, possibly before the rush hour.

Meanwhile, police have arrested three 19-year-old Kidderminster men on suspicion of arson and are helping officers with their enquires.

Anyone with information about the arson attack should contact Kidderminster Police on 08457 444888 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.