A DEDICATED steward has been working hard to restore a rugby clubhouse in time for an important home game after it was trashed by “scumbags.

Brian Wood, who has been involved with Oxford Harlequins RFC for 25 years, fitted new doors and alarm systems at the building in Marston Ferry Road after they were smashed in a raid overnight last Saturday.

The 69-year-old, who lives in Headington, said: “It is absolutely heartbreaking. But we had to get on with it because we have another game today and we have to have everything ready for it.”

Mr Wood had shut up the clubhouse at about 7pm last Saturday after the team won a home game against Reading.

He said he remembered seeing a car with people in it waiting in the car park as he left.

He returned on Sunday morning to open up for a mini-tournament the club was hosting to find the front doors smashed.

Mr Wood said: “I came down and saw all the glass everywhere.

“Then I noticed they had smashed up the alarm systems. They do that to test to see whether someone responds, and because no-one did they carried on.

“They went into the bar area and ripped up the shutters.

“As we have a lot of kit we have a cellar. Not everyone has a key to the cellar, so I leave a key to it by the till behind the bar.

“I won’t be doing that any more.

“They found the key, went down to the cellar and found the safe. They wrenched it open and took about £500, leaving all the loose change.”

He estimates the cost of the damage is between £2,000 and £3,000.

The club play at home to Windsor today.

Club chairman Neil Hopper said: “It is just one of those things – what can you do? They are scumbags.

“It is not really about the money they took, we have insurance to cover that, it is more about the damage to the building.

“Brian goes above and beyond keeping the clubhouse in check, painting it in the summer .”

Thames Valley Police said they were still investigating the break-in.