LOCALS in Bream have raised more £4,000 in just over a week to help the village’s rugby club which was hit by a senseless vandal attack and theft.

The clubhouse was broken into on the evening of Tuesday, October 8 and a trail of damage, was left including ripping live water pipes off the wall

Club members, led by chairman Rich Halford, cleared the damage the following day to make the facility usable.

A GoFundMe appeal was also set up and had raised £4,130 when The Forester went to press on Tuesday.

Appeal organiser Aaron Ryder said the response had been “unbelievable”.

He said: “I’ve played at a few clubs but I’ve not played at a club where’s there’s been a tight-knit community like Bream.

“The club has a good following and its quite a social hive on weekends.

“Then, on Tuesday, someone breaks in and smashes it up for no reason.

“Beer has gone, liquor has gone, fridges were broken, the kitchen was smashed up and the pipes were broken off in the toilets so they were flooded.

“They stole bits of kits and things.

“Mindless, significant damage has been caused to the building, plumbing, bar area, kitchen, toilets.

“On Wednesday loads of the players led by Rich the chairman went and tidied everything up and got it back into a useable state and then the idea was raised that a GoFundMe page might help.”

“We’ve got two senior teams and an under-eights and the clubhouse a big income source.

“Any information is critical, if you’ve seen anything suspicious at that time give the police a ring.

“Any help is appreciated, financially or otherwise.”

This weekend sees one of the biggest events in the club’s calendar, Mudger’s Day, which commemorates the death in October 2019 of club Clive “Mudger” James.

The Mudger’s Day fixture on Saturday will a local derby with Lydney United.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Gloucestershire Police on 101 or on www.gloucestershire.police.uk quoting incident number 58 of October 9.

To support the fundraiser, visit www.gofundme.com and search for Bream RFC.