Vandals target rugby stadium

FIREFIGHTERS were called to Oldham Rugby League Club’s Whitebank Stadium on Saturday evening when smoke alerted passers-by to a blaze.

Vandals had broken into the ground and had set fire to a portable toilet cabin, which was destroyed.

The club will have to fork out nearly £1,000 to replace the burnt-out toilet, situated next to the stand on the Garden Suburb side of the ground, which was on hire.

This was the fourth raid on the ground in the past two months and an angry club chairman Chris Hamilton has raised his concerns with Oldham Police.

He said: “Naturally, we don’t want this sort of thing to carry on happening.”

The staium is currently closed while turf experts work on improving the pitch, but Roughyeds will stage a fund-raising dinner in the clubhouse on Thursday.

Guest speaker will be radio reporter and former Oldham, Saddleworth Rangers and St Anne’s full-back Kevin Fitzpatrick, while entertainment will be provided by comedienne Donna Elson.

With no turnstile income over a six-week period, club officials are urging fans to rally round and support the dinner, tickets for which are on sale at £30 a head from the Roughyeds office on 0161-628 3677.