FURIOUS officials at an amateur football club have hit out after burglars attempted to smash and even burn their way into the clubhouse.
Offenders tried to lift shutters, broke windows and resorted to attempting to set fire to the front door of Atherton Collieries AFC’s Alder Street ground late last Sunday or in the early hours of Bank Holiday Monday.
Reports on Atherton Colls’ Facebook page says the clubhouse was then targeted unsuccessfully again just 24 hours later.
Secretary Emil Anderson said: “It’s the constant fear, the thought they are going to get in. Every time you walk into the building your heart is in your mouth.
“I’d like to know what they think is in there. There’s only basic stuff in there because of things like this, we dare not store anything in the clubhouse.
“We’ve been broken into year in and year out and we’ve got fed up of it. Football wise we’ve had our most successful season in living memory and it’s just demoralising. It’s one step forward two steps back all the time.
The club has received several messages of support from the local community on its Facebook page.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed on Tuesday it had received reports of an attempted burglary at the clubhouse committed between 8pm on Sunday May 24 and 7.30am on Monday May 25.
Officers were due to make an appointment to speak to club officials about the incident.
Originally published by the Wigan Observer.
