A £1.5-MILLION project to provide new football facilities in Tavistock is being hit by persistent vandalism.

First, motorcycles and cars hampered the work of Tavistock Community Football Club by churning up the newly landscaped areas where six football pitches were to go at Crowndale.

Now, the fencing protecting the pitches has been pushed down on several occasions, causing more frustration for hard working club members.

Chairperson Sue Hammond is angry: 'The kids will be getting the most fantastic facilities with new pitches and changing rooms but we are constantly battling against this mindless vandalism.

'On two occasions last week the fences were pushed down and the signs telling people to keep off were damaged.

'The fences were put up to stop bikes and vehicles going on the newly seeded pitches and they cost £160 a month to rent.'

Mrs Hammond said funds were fast running out and she did not know how much longer the club could keep the fences up.

'If vehicles get onto the pitches now, that's it, we cannot afford to re-seed.

'At the moment it is looking lovely down there but the site will not be ready to play on until the 2010 season. It is a long time to have to worry whether people will wreck it or not.'

She said many people had put in an awful lot of work and effort over the past 15 years into getting the project off the ground.

'We are 99 per cent sure it is kids causing the vandalism, but I would be horrified to think it might be any of the kids that I have coached over the past 15 years.

'If it is youths of 17 and 18 they are wrecking it for their kids in the future.'

The new facilities are to cater for children with disabilities and the not so talented as well as the football stars of the future.

'It's about social inclusion and enabling children to play who have not got into teams. It's not just about the cracking young footballers,' added Mrs Hammond.

Publicity officer for the club Allen Lewis said he was meeting the police on site this week and a CCTV camera was likely to be installed.

He said it was very disheartening when he saw the signs, at £40 a time, ripped up, broken and thrown on the football ground

'It's looks like we may have no choice but to put up a permanent fence at some stage,' he said. 'That was never the idea, it was all meant to be left open.

'We have all worked really hard to give kids a fantastic future of sport here.'