A SMALL County Durham football club has been left counting the cost of new security after thieves forced their way into cabins – even though they only took got away with a few cans of drink.

The break-in happened at Coxhoe Athletic Football Club overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

Club treasurer Jack Turton said thieves had tried to break the locks on two cabins at the ground in Beechfield Rise, damaging steel shutters on one of them and removing bolted grills from the window of the other.

He said: “They’ve got away with nothing. They’ve taken an empty cash box, an empty till which was left outside the gates and taken six cans of lager and two cans of 7Up.”

The break-in happened on the same night as one at a Ferryhill nursery, which is around three miles from Coxhoe, where thieves left with just 60p.

The club has been a target for attempted thefts in the past, including one last month. On that occasion the would-be thieves were unable to break the locks.

Mr Turton added: “Little football clubs can do without this – life is hard enough as it is to raise funds without having to find additional security. We had to put in better locks a month ago. Now we’re considering CCTV and lights if we are able to afford it.

“If we have to start spending thousands of pounds on security we’ve got to ask whether it’s worth it.”

Volunteers from the club have already repaired the damage to the cabins.

Coxhoe FC has a senior team currently sitting second in the Wearside League while its junior team is due to start playing in the top Russell Foster league in September.

Mr Turton added: “They won’t beat us. We always strive to keep it going. It’s very important to us as a village.”

Police are appealing for anyone who has information to contact them on 101.