VANDALS caused thousands of pounds worth of damage after breaking into a South Cerney football pavilion last weekend.

Members of the popular club, at the playing fields in Upper Up, said they were devastated to find the place ransacked.

Two windows had been smashed, mower oil had been poured over the floor, cups and pictures were broken and offensive graffiti had been sprayed on the walls.

The offenders stole food to make bacon sandwiches and left the cooker on when they left, which could have started a fire.

Club chairman Gordon Stratford discovered the break-in that took place between 5pm on Saturday, March 24 and 8am on Monday, March 26.

"I’ve been involved in this club for over 50 years and I’ve never known anything like this," he said. "I didn’t know what to think. It was a complete tip."

Mr Stratford added that committee members were working hard to scrub-off obscene graffiti left on the walls and clean up the pavilion before around 80 youngsters come to the ground at the weekend.

South Cerney Parish Council chairman Mike Stuart was appalled by the incident.

"It was just awful, absolutely terrible and we all feel so sorry for the football club," he said. "Many years ago vandals burnt down the cricket pavilion and we've also had a series of minor incidents of vandalism in the village.

"You just think, what an earth possesses these people?"

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Gloucestershire Police on 101.