YOUNG footballers could be left without changing rooms after a new £800,000 pavilion was trashed by vandals.

Summertown Stars AFC were left stunned after the facility in Cutteslowe Park was wrecked on Wednesday night.

The pavilion – which is home to almost 400 Summertown Stars players – was seen as a major boost to the club when it opened in September.

But unless the damage can be repaired in time youngsters will have nowhere to change when league fixtures resume on Saturday.

Club committee member and former chairman David Rundle said: "A group of people had a sort of 'party' in there on Wednesday evening and alcohol and drugs were used.

"We have not got a cost for the damage yet but there is graffiti and they broke in by smashing a door down with a breeze block.

"They have also damaged kitchen equipment.

"It is very sad for society.

"It was quite a shock when I found out, I just think it is sad.

"It is there for children's football."

The pavilion is owned by Oxford City Council and provides 47 Summertown Stars teams with a clubroom, kitchen facilities and toilets.

Playing kit was locked away in a metal shipping container and escaped unscathed but the damage to changing facilities means there could still be an impact on teams in terms of space to change.

Mr Rundle added: "We have asked all our parents to let us know if they saw anyone acting suspiciously near the pavilion on Wednesday night.

"It is a popular area with joggers and dog walkers so someone might have seen something.

"We are hoping the children will have access to the changing rooms and refreshment facilities but we do not know if they will be ready for matches this Saturday.

"Our appeal would be for people to tell police if they have any information to stop it happening again."

The pavilion project was made possible after the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, through the Football Foundation, awarded a grant of £348,828.

The city council also part-funded the build through a £2m investment project into pavilions in the city – which also included facilities in Barton, Headington and Blackbird Leys.

City councillor for Summertown Jean Fooks said: "It is very bad news.

"I hope it can be repaired so that children who want to go and use it can do so.

"Perhaps we need to recognise that there are people looking for opportunities to do things like this and think about tighter security measures.

"We need to think about whether we could have made it more secure."

Oxford City Council and Thames Valley Police did not respond for requests to comment about the incident.