A Highland League football club have been left counting the cost after vandals smashed seats in their home stadium days before the start of pre-season.
Bosses at Inverness-based Clachnacuddin were left “dismayed and deeply saddened” by damage caused to their Grant Street Park ground overnight.
Club representatives told how they arrived to find several plastic seats broken, with debris scattered along the concourse following the break-in on Wednesday evening.
One told STV News how the club had heard reports of youths “jumping the fence” to play on the pitch while the game shuts down over the summer months.
Director Chris Forbes added the club was now being forced to hire additional security before the visit of cinch League Two outfit Elgin City in a warm-up for the new campaign.
“We as a club were shocked, saddened and disappointed to discover the mindless vandalism which occurred at Grant Street Park,” he said.
“The financial cost of repairs and the inconvenience caused is made even more difficult to take as we are due to start our pre-season fixture campaign on Saturday.
“We as a club take a huge amount of pride in Grant Street Park and we find it utterly unacceptable that people think it is OK to do things like this.
“We will now take steps to increase the security of the ground which is something we did not think we needed to do”.
Police Scotland said an investigation into the incident had been launched and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
A spokesperson added: “Officers received reports of vandalism to a premises on Wyvis Place, Inverness at around 9am on Thursday, June 16.
“Inquiries are ongoing and anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting incident 0716 of June 16.”
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