WOODFORD GRN: Police 'can't cope' with out-of-control youths

4:20pm Wednesday 25th June 2008

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A CAMPAIGN of arson and destruction is being waged by out-of-control teenagers - and police have admitted they are unable to cope.

Youths attacked Woodford Rugby Club by driving a burning car onto the pitch and there was yet more mayhem on the Green in Woodford Green at the weekend, when drunken louts interrupted cricket matches, threw litter and torched trees.

“We played through two world wars and nobody stopped us, but what looks likely to stop us is the current climate of youth culture that has no respect for people, or anything."

Richard Dodson

The Green has hosted cricket for nearly 300 years but, worryingly, players have said the anti-social behaviour may force them to abandon the site.

Woodford Green Cricket Club president Richard Dodson said: "It's getting to the point where we are the oldest cricket ground in the world, but we are in danger of closing down.

"We played through two world wars and nobody stopped us, but what looks likely to stop us is the current climate of youth culture that has no respect for people, or anything.

"We have to spend a couple of hours before every match clearing the litter from the pitch.

"It resembles a rubbish tip and there's people who won't get off the pitch when we want to play.

"And on Thursday some youths tried to kick the front door down of our pavilion."

At 1.35am on Tuesday morning, the fire brigade was called when vandals drove a white Ford Fiesta into the Woodford Rugby Club's Nesta Road ground and across two pitches before leaping out as it became consumed by flames.

The attack follows weeks of vandalism endured by the club, which has involved youths throwing rocks and shooting out windows with air rifles.

Clubhouse manager Susan Fox said: "I'm a bit lost for words. I can't believe we've been targeted again for some reason - we're not hurting anyone.

"Because of all this we're now putting in some new shutters that are going to cost £12,000, which is money we don't really have.

Woodford fire-fighter Andy Denmark said: "We don't know who did it, but it was arson. A car was set alight and driven into the rugby club.

"The Green is left in a terrible state by the kids. There is rubbish everywhere. After they leave it looks like there's been some kind of festival, there are drinks and rubbish all over the place.

"We were called the other night because some kids had set fire to some of the trees on the green. We would like everyone walking around there to be vigilant."

Sergeant Mark Wood, of Monkhams Safer Neighbourhood Team, said his team were only on duty one weekend in three, and any attempt to address problems on the Green would be to the detriment of other areas in the ward.

He added: "The real problem is there are no youth facilities in the area so all we can do is put hoses on the fire but we can't stop the fuel.

"It's the responsibility of Epping Forest Rangers to take action and we are happy to support them. Although we have powers under the Epping Forest Act to enforce bylaws, we cannot issue fines but only court summons.

"We have to think of the interest to the public in dragging a 12-year-old through the courts for playing football next to a cricket pitch.

"But it's very dangerous as if someone gets hits with a cricket ball at a rate of knots, then it could kill them."

A spokesman for the City of London Corporation, which own the land, said: "The cricket club is located in an urban environment, but we do everything in our power to keep the cricket club functioning as best we can."