A CRICKET club has launched a campaign to raise thousands of pounds so it can rise from the ashes of an arson attack.

The pavilion at Spennymoor Cricket Club was completely destroyed, along with most of the club’s belongings, after a fire on Saturday, July 7.

The clubhouse was insured by Spennymoor Town Council, which owns the site, but not all of its contents so members and officials have begun fundraising to replace what it lost.

Chairman Mel Groves said: "We love the place and we want it back. We cannot let this arson attack be the end of us."

The club hopes to get enough money and consent to replace the old wooden pavilion– built by undertaker Gordon Fletcher in the 1960s– with a brick one with showers before next season in late April, 2019.

Mr Groves said there has been widespread support in the town.

Staff at Spennymoor Town Council have enabled its two teams to use changing facilities at High Whitworth Playing Fields for the remainder of this season and Shauna Templeton at The Victoria Inn is providing teas.

Town clerk Katherine Hierons and some council staff and members have volunteered to run a raffle at Spennymoor Town FC on Saturday, for which prizes were donated by residents and businesses. And every pub and club in the town has a collection tin.

Club president Ian Geldard said: "Almost everything was lost– the changing rooms, toilets, kitchen, spectators benches, cricketing equipment and devastatingly a bench in memory of former player Michael Bulmer.

"The club now has a monumental task of raising funds to rebuild our facilities, £50,000 is an ambitious target but let's see what we can do."

  • Information about the fire can be reported to police on 101, quoting incident 481 of July 7.
  • Donations can be made via Raise Spennymoor Cricket Club from the Ashes on Facebook or at Spennymoor Town Hall or The Victoria Inn, on Villiers Street.