MICKLEOVER SPORTS are reeling from the theft of £50,000 worth of artificial turf that was to be used to re-lay their pitch for the new season.
Thieves broke into the Don Amott Arena on Station Road twice at around 11pm on Tuesday and again at 3am on Wednesday after half the pitch had been fitted.
Using a flatbed lorry, they took the remaining 11 rolls of turf. CCTV footage of the incident has since been handed to Derbyshire Police.
Owner Don Amott, said: “[After] two years of hard work to provide the brilliant facility for the club and the community, I could cry.
“We will survive this, I promise, and finish this wonderful project.”
Club director and treasurer Neil Hadfield said the club have been left heartbroken by the theft.
He said: “It’s absolutely devastating, what’s happened. It’s a project that’s been two years in the making and a lot of work went into it before that so it’s probably more like three and a half years that we’ve been planning this project.
“Everybody who works for the club is a volunteer, we give up our time for free to help a club that gives a lot back to the local community and we do a lot of events with our friends and other people within the community. This is just a devastating blow for everybody at the club.”
Derbyshire Police has urged anyone with information on the theft to make contact immediately.
