A BOWLING club is struggling to carry on after four months of repeated vandalism at the site where it has played for more than 70 years.

The changing rooms at Hundens Park, Darlington, were vandalised again by youths shortly after 4pm on Monday, with crockery being smashed and items stolen.

In other recent attacks, vandals have defecated on the floor, only feet from the toilets.

Hundens Ladies' Bowling Club, which has played at the Darlington Borough Council-owned site since 1929, is finding it increasingly difficult to use the premises and believes that security should be increased.

However, the club is holding talks with the council about moving into the Eastbourne Sports Complex.

Pauline Baines, club president, said: "It started at the back end of April and it has continued every week, sometimes two to three times a week."

The smashed crockery and stolen coffee, tea and sugar have caused difficulties for the club in entertaining visiting teams.

"We just don't know what else to do," said Mrs Baines.

"We haven't much of the season left, fortunately, because we finish in September. We are going to have to struggle to get through the rest of the season."

The bowling green and changing rooms used by a men's team have been fenced to reduce the vandalism, and that has had some success in curtailing the damage, but the ladies' team premises are outside the fence.

A council spokesman said: "In terms of cost, it isn't very damaging, but it is the disruption to the bowlers that is the problem. The green and the changing facilities have been targeted by vandals for some time."

He said that short-term measures, including working with neighbourhood wardens and the police to monitor the facilities during the summer, were in place.

Acting Detective Inspector Alec Francis, of Darlington police, said it was a sharp-eyed resident who had reported suspicious activity to police on Monday.

The longer-term solution would be a move to the Eastbourne complex, where the club would benefit from closed-circuit television security and more staff on site.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on (01325) 467681 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.