Arson Attack At Mulsanne Park

The Nettleham Bowls Club's efforts to stay financially afloat have been thwarted by arsonists have been dashed, when  last Sunday morning when a skip containing four tonnes of newspaper was set alight, report the Lincolnshire Echo today.

Right: Chairman of Nettleham Bowls Club Mr. Derek Kilby, left, and Vice-Chairman Mr. John Rennison, next to the paper recycling skip.



The Members of Nettleham Bowls Club have operated a weekly newspaper collection scheme around the village for fifteen years. Along with subscriptions, the recycling scheme generates enough cash to keep the fifty-strong club afloat and maintain its green next to Mulsanne Park.

Hopes of buying new maintenance equipment to ensure the green remains in pristine condition have now been scuppered.

Firefighters from the Lincoln North station were called at 10.26am to extinguish the flames and the cause has been identified it as an arson attack.
But the blaze did not just destroy the paper in the skip, valued at £400, but the cost of £780 to pay for the scorched paper to go to landfill.

The club's Vice-Chairman, Mr. John Rennison, is reported to have said the club needs the lost cash, which adds up to two-thirds of its annual income, for maintenance equipment for the greens.

"If it was not for the papers we could not survive. It means we cannot do anything this year.

"A whole year's plans have gone out of the window."

Chairman of the Mulsanne Park Users Committee, Cllr. Giles McNeill, said:

"This is another in a stream of thoughtless attacks that have taken place at Mulsanne Park in recent years. The Parish Council have had to employ security staff for the site and we take these matters very seriously indeed.

"The Parish Council and the Bowls Club do not have any formal ties, but I hope they will consider approaching the council if they feel we offer any support through this difficult period, going forward."

EXCLUSIVE: Nettleham Football Club Torn Up By Vandal Car Driver!

Mr. Charles Shaw, the Secretary to the Nettleham Football Club, has reported that earlier today he received a telephone call which informed him that a car had been driven onto the main football pitch at Mulsanne Park, shortly before 3.00pm on Friday, 5th March 2010.

A member of the public is reported to have been strolling round the perimeter of the field who confirms that a car was driven, at speed, down the pathway towards the tennis courts, then having passed behind the football stadium's panel fencing, it was driven onto the main football pitch through the gap in the rail fencing, at the north eastern corner, and then in a loop through the goalposts, and (after reversing) driven off the pitch and out of the park.

Mr. Shaw says:

"That the vehicle was driven fast enough to rip up the turf, the only consolation was that it was this Friday and not a week ago when the surface was saturated."

The member of the public describes the car as a medium red hatchback, and a female member of the public who the first met near the pavilion is reported to have stated that part of the car was black, either a replacement door or panel, unfortunately she could only remember seeing a driver in the car, but no additional details.

Nettleham Parish Councillor, Giles McNeill, Chairman of the Mulsanne Park Users Committee, said:

"The Parish Council, in partnership with Nettleham Football Club and other user clubs, put in a lot of hard work to provide the facilities at Mulsanne Park and to think that there are people who would treat these facilities with such disrespect is saddening. I understand that the neighbourhood policing team have been contacted and I hope they will seriously investigate this matter to the fullest possible extent.

"It is my hope that an initiative that I was pleased to spearhead to hire a security guard for random, frequent inspections of the site, which will begin in April, will act as a deterrant to the people who cause these senseless acts."

Vandalism at Mulsanne Park

More vandalism has occurred at the Football Club grandstand at Mulsanne Park in Nettleham last night. A considerable amount of damage has been done this time. The large gate on the pavilion has been ripped off, the fascia on the dug outs removed, the steps ripped out (for the second time), plus some Lincolnshire fencing has been broken. The damage caused will likely cost over five hundreds of pounds to put right.

Above: The damaged steps of the grandstand at Mulsanne Park

Nettleham Parish Council staff have managed to get the Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), Jackie Parker, to attend the scene this time. Following calls to the police yesterday evening the PCSO had spoken to a group of youths who were drinking on Brookfield Avenue just before 9pm. It is understood that they were not drunk. Names and addresses have been taken, one of which was from Nettleham.

The police response can be sumerised as that there is no actual of proof of who did it (not even the beer cans left on the football pitch) so no action can be taken.

In February, vandals ripped out plastic seating in the stands, destroyed benches and multiple alcohol bottles were discovered in the grounds.

Above: Debris from the vandals attack litters the pitch.

Secretary of Nettleham FC Charles Shaw is quoted in The Lincolnshire Echo as saying:

"Police were called about some rowdy yobs at a nearby street on Monday evening. They were drinking on the street and also seen to pee on the grass verge.

"The police asked them to move on and then the next morning substantial damage to the football stadium was found.

"The club had been complimented on its work in smartening up the football stadium, then you get a visit from these vandals. It won't stop us playing matches, as we won't let them win, but it's very frustrating."

Anyone with concerns or information should contact PCSO Parker on 07944 776801