Pitch 'ploughed' by police

A YOUTH football club is paying the penalty after their pitch was badly damaged when a police car become stuck in the middle of it.

Acton Colts say the incident has ruined their season and has left them homeless for at least a month. Representatives for the club, which has under-12s and under-13s teams, are now to ask Sudbury police to pay for the damage.

The embarrassing episode began last Friday morning when a Sudbury police car attended a report of a suspicious car on the pitch, which is behind the Acton Crown pub.

The police car drove across the frozen pitch, but got stuck in the centre circle, which was full of soft mud.

A recovery vehicle from a local firm was called to rescue the police car, but also got stuck. Eventually a third vehicle was called out and managed to pull both the other vehicles free.

The pitch was severely damaged and covered in deep tyre marks, leaving it unplayable.

Bernard Lean, of the Acton Playing Field Association, said: "Initially we were all very upset by what had happened, but we can't really blame the police.

"They were just trying to do their job and this was just an unfortunate accident that happened.

"Obviously the football team is devastated, they now have no pitch and are looking for somewhere to play the rest of their games.

"The football club is probably going to claim some sort of compensation because the damage is quite substantial.

"The club is prepared to carry out the work itself by filling the holes with top soil and then claiming the cost from the police. I think the damage will take at least a month to repair."

A Suffolk police spokesman confirmed that a police car was called to the pitch and got stuck in some mud and had to be pulled out by another vehicle.

They have now advised the club to get in touch with them regarding the compensation so that a claim can be referred to its risk department.