A PAVILION brought back into use by a youth football team has suffered several attacks of vandalism, which may cause the group to reconsider playing on the site. Stevenage Borough Juniors Football Club has signed a lease to bring the former Round Diamond

A PAVILION brought back into use by a youth football team has suffered several attacks of vandalism, which may cause the group to reconsider playing on the site.

Stevenage Borough Juniors Football Club has signed a lease to bring the former Round Diamond School site on Epsom Close in Stevenage back into community use.

Every weekend the field and pavilion has been used to host mini soccer and girls' football, and will be used for midweek training during the summer months.

But over the past two weeks mindless vandals have targeted the pavilion with stones, bricks, sticks and footballs, smashing two windows and causing damage which will cost in excess of �200 to repair.

Matthew Hurst, vice chairman of Stevenage Borough Juniors, said the club has spent a lot of time and money securing use of the site.

"Vandalism is one of the most senseless crimes and an act of cowardice," he said.

"The club has now taken the decision to install CCTV cameras at the pavilion and put protective grills on all the windows - further costs the club can ill afford to be paying out."

He added: "If the vandalism continues it may well lead the club to review its position with regards to the pavilion. As a voluntary organisation we cannot afford to replace windows and make repairs on a weekly basis, and cannot take the risk of anyone being hurt by broken glass."

Herts Police says it is aware of the attacks and enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with any information about the vandalism is asked to call Herts Police on the non-emergency number 0845 33 00 222.