Foul play

CAN you put a smile back on the faces of these young soccer lovers?

They used to enjoy getting a kick out of playing for their village school but foul play by a thief has kicked their fun into touch.

On two successive weekends thieves entered the grounds of Aston St Mary's Primary School and stole the collapsible goalposts and nets.

Now the children are having to use plastic cones as posts but cannot play any competitive games against other schools because Aston St Mary's cannot afford to replace the stolen equipment.

"This is a cruel thing to do. It means the children at this village school are suffering because they cannot play games against other schools without proper goalposts and they love their football," said headteacher Philip Gray, who has been at the school for four years and took over as head on September 1.

"It was a shock losing one set of posts but when the other set went the following weekend we were heartbroken and angry. I just can't believe anybody can be so cruel.

"We got the posts as part of an FA initiative but we cannot afford to replace them.

"There just isn't enough money in the school budget to go out and buy more posts. It could cost as much as £100 to get a new set."

Mr Gray, who has 104 pupils at the school which was built in the early 1960s, added: "I am very saddened by these thefts. It is the children who are suffering.

"Most of the children love playing football so if they play among themselves they will use the parking cones as posts but we will not be able to play matches against other schools.