A SPORTS club has risen from the ashes following the efforts of its members and the community.

Orpington Rugby Football Club (RFC), based in St Paul's Cray, reopened its clubhouse on Saturday.

Although one half of Hoblingwell Wood recreation ground, Leesons Way, is gutted and condemned, the bar is now back in use.

The clubhouse was torched on December 21, after vandals broke in and stole £4,000.

The community rallied round to make sure Christmas and New Year functions, as well as match day socialising, went ahead.

The trustees of Sanderson Hall, Mickleham Road, offered the use of their building and Courage Brewery helped arrange a temporary bar for Christmas festivities.

Pubs in St Mary Cray, Orpington, Chelsfield and St Paul's Cray, donated raffle prizes to help raise funds.

And the manager of The Partridge pub, Chipperfield Road, St Paul's Cray, has been helping out with match day celebrations.

The club has held committee meetings there and the back room has been opened up after matches.

It was expected the clubhouse would not open for at least four months but Orpington RFC members gave up Christmas holidays and worked in between full-time jobs to fix the damage.

The bar has now opened three months early and the club celebrated with victory against Greenwich at home for the second team and away for the first team.

Club secretary Leigh Compton said: "It's brilliant. We put in a lot of hard work and it's paid off.

"There's a real sense of team spirit because everyone pulled together and we didn't let the arsonists bring us down."

Mrs Compton says the club is remaining positive and looking to the future.

It will consult its members and, subject to planning permission, will rebuild.

This could involve adding an extra storey and building a viewing balcony.