ANGRY members of a cricket club in Carterton has appealed to try and find the vandals who "destroyed" thousands of pounds' worth of equipment.

The Kilkenny Cricket Club, who play their matches in land owned by West Oxfordshire District Council off Monahan Way, was targeted by vandals on Sunday morning, leaving those who run the team "annoyed" and "frustrated" as the expensive cricket covers are now ruined.

The club, which hopes to launch its junior section next year, also said empty bottles of alcohol and smashed glass were found on the wicket.

Club chairman Stephen Poole, 50, said he was disappointed a group of people would not just vandalise, but "destroy" the club's covers beyond repair.

He added it appeared the covers had been jumped on and could have be cut.

Mr Poole said: "It's really frustrating to see this in my community. We are a community club trying to move forward and were given funding from the council for the covers three years ago.

"They are destroyed, I don't think they can be repaired.

"We get youths hanging around but nothing like this has happened before. It leaves a bit of a bitter taste, we've been building the club over the past 10 years."

Father-of-three Mr Poole said at 8pm on Saturday night the players left the covers - which are worth between £1,500 and £2,000 - on the pitch as normal practice to protect it form the bad weather and people walking across it.

On Sunday morning at about 8.30, the Carterton resident received a call after a dog walker informed someone at the club of the heartless act.

The covers were part of a number of large grants worth £50,000 to develop the club's facilities almost three years ago.

The money also made it possible for the club get net facilities and an artificial pitch.

Thames Valley Police spokesman James Williams confirmed the force were investigating, but said no arrests had been made at this time.

The force appealed to the public to contact them on 101 if they have any information about the incident.

Kilkenny Cricket Club has more than 50 playing and associate members and plays in the Oxfordshire Cricket Association.

Mr Poole said the club were not going to dwell on the crime and continue to grow and develop a junior section.

He added: "It's not going to deter us from developing as a club, we will bounce back and show defiance.

"There is no CCTV about and it's dark at the pitch so you can't see anything at night."

He said it would be good for the "police to up their game" and drive into the grounds on the Saturday night to deter vandalism happening in the future.

West Oxfordshire District Council councillor Jeanette Baker said: "I’m extremely disappointed that this valuable community asset has been vandalised.

"As the equipment belongs to the council we are taking immediate action to repair or replace it."