VOLUNTEER-run Bewdley Town Football Club has been forced to install CCTV in a bid to stop thieves breaking into the ground and stealing fuel.

Geoff Edwards, club chairman, explained that the Ribbesford Meadows-based club had been broken into six times in the last two months and they had now installed outdoor cameras.

He added that the cost to the club of the stolen fuel, used for powering the floodlights, and repairing the locks was nearly £1,000.

In addition, he said water pumps worth £300 had been stolen along with a sit down mower that could cost about £3,000 to replace.

Mr Edwards said: “This is totally unfair. For what we do for the local community it is just not right. You get to the point where you stop feeling angry and just feel frustrated at what they are doing.”

He explained that the club was “a good stable club” that kept on top of its overheads but said finding the money to make the replacements, improve security and repair the damage would be “a big setback”.

He added: “The cost is a serious problem. We will find the money but instead of spending money on the ground we will have to spend it on this.”

Mr Edwards said that the police had installed a temporary camera inside the clubhouse about four years ago which had led to the capture of thieves breaking into the clubhouse and stealing from the bar area.

He added that he had hoped the police could do more to help them combat the break-ins but said he did not blame them for not catching the thieves.

He explained: “I am not blaming the police. This football club is an out of the way place. They probably have not got the resources to keep patrols going on a regular basis.”

West Mercia Police said that the club had reported the theft of diesel from the ground three times this year, the last of which was overnight between Friday and Saturday .

PC Pauline Montague, local policing officer for Bewdley, said they had given crime prevention advice to the club and the local crime risk manager had been carrying out a further security review of the premises.

He added: “We will be increasing patrols in the area as a result of these thefts and we would urge anyone who sees any suspicious vehicles parked up in the lay-bys off the B4194 near the club to make a note of the registration if possible and give us a call.”

Witnesses or anyone with information should call police on 0300 333 3000, quoting incident reference 222-S-030410, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.