‘Bit by bit, our dream is being destroyed’ - a baseball club manager has made an emotional plea after once again falling victim to criminal damage.

The shocking vandalism at Essex Arrows Baseball Club is the latest incident in a long string of attacks over the last decade.

Images of the fallout at the club in Townmead leisure Park, Waltham Abbey, show the seating bleachers have been badly damaged.

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The benches – a sheltered area where batters await their turn to take the field – have also been damaged while litter has been left strewn across the floor, indicating the area may have been used as a hangout spot over lockdown.

David Shaer, club general manager, said: “We have spent so much time and effort over the past twenty years and have raised money to improve the facilities for the benefit of the local community for it to keep being vandalised without any reproductions for the perpetrators, so something needs to be done to stop this.

“We need to get the message across to these people that they are destroying a facility that has been funded by money raised by the club members, rather than a government facility that they might think they are targeting. Who knows?

“They might just be mindless kids, drunk and on drugs intent on creating as much destruction as possible, regardless. However, we are at a stage now that without any action the problem will continue to get worse, so we are desperate to try to find a way to stop it.”

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In April of last year £7,000 worth of damage was inflicted to the bleachers and field while around £200 worth of new baseballs and key equipment was stolen.

In 2015 a £2,500 pitching machine and youth team equipment, such as balls, bats and gloves, were stolen.

On the same occasion, the bleachers were also badly vandalised with graffiti.

The club has reported similar attacks dating back as far as 2010.

Mr Shaer added: “Since 2010 our club, comprising all amateur players and volunteers has raised more than £40,000 to fund the development of the field and bit by bit, our dream is being destroyed."

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