A FOOTBALL team is hoping to raise enough money for security shutters after being hit by three burglaries in just over a month.

Redcar Town FC holds Saturday training sessions for youths aged between seven and 13 at Borough Park, off Redcar Lane in the town, and keeps kit and boots in a pavilion it borrows from the council.

Last month it had two break-ins in just a matter of days, with trophies, footballs, boots, and sweets stolen. Burglars even trashed the building during one of the break-ins.

Coaches reinforced the locks with triple padlocks, but at the beginning of this month thieves struck again.

Ian Enderwick, spokesman for Redcar Town, said: "We took over the pavilion for our Saturday morning club, which gets players ready to play in the football teams, and it is a development squad.

"It is separate from Redcar Town FC and the training is at Borough Park, although we have the same coaches.

"When they had the initial two break-ins within a few days they secured the building. We thought we were ok and then there was another break-in, so it has been three times now.

"The thought was that if we can't secure the building we can't carry on, but they are still holding training at the moment.

"What was really irritating to all of us was that the coaches had tins of Quality Street to reward the best players - and the thieves had sat there and scoffed the sweets."

He said the club may have found a sponsor to pay for metal shutters to help secure the building from further burglaries, but there had been concern that the training sessions would have to stop if the building could not be secured.

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "A report came in on Saturday August 8 of a break-in at a pavilion in Borough Park.

"They weren't sure exactly when it happened, but believe it was some time between Wednesday, 5th August and Saturday, 8th August. Footballs, sweets and money were stolen."

She said police were appealing for information about the incident and said anyone who may have witnessed anything, or knew who could be responsible, was asked to call Cleveland Police on the non-emergency number 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.