A CRICKET club chairman is calling on residents to shop vandals who destroyed a newly-seeded pitch.

Harry Bright, 45, wants to hear from anybody who knows those responsible for the damage to the £1,500 surface.

And he wants people living in Park Road, overlooking Dartford Cricket Club, to photograph youngsters seen causing vandalism.

Mr Bright, who has been chairman for six years, made the plea after 16 holes, some three inches deep, were dug into the cricket square only two months after it was re-seeded.

Grandfather-of-one Mr Bright said: "They've dug these holes with their heels and it's ruined.

"Because of the weather we can't do anything about it until spring."

Club groundsmen will have to re-seed the pitch in April at the start of the season and it will be ready to play on a month later.

Mr Bright added: "What I'm asking park users and residents to do is be vigilant.

"If they see anyone causing trouble in the park, take pictures of them and give them over to the police."

He says the park has suffered from vandalism, litter and graffiti for more than 15 years.

Several residents have complained to News Shopper about the behaviour of students from Leigh City Technology College (LCTC), which boarders the park.

Housewife Kerry Garland, 38, of Park Road, said: "Only two weeks ago I saw pupils wearing LCTC uniforms pushing and pulling ropes which are meant to keep people off the cricket grounds to see if they could knock them over.

"It really annoys me and it can be intimidating when there are large numbers of them there."

LCTC headmaster Frank Green supports the idea of identifying youngsters but says the school has not received any complaints since before the end of summer term.

He said: "I'm aware of the concerns and we take great care to eliminate issues such as these if they occur.

"We do all we can to make sure students who are identified to be involved in bad behaviour will be very severely dealt with, shown the error of their ways and what is needed to be done to correct it.

"We have a strong reputation and will not allow it to be damaged."

If you have any information, call the newsroom on 01689 885721.