KIND-HEARTED strangers are being urged to help young footballers after thieves stole and destroyed their goalposts.

Burglars broke into the grounds of Perry Street Football Club, based at Barleylands Farm and Craft Village, in Southend Road, Billericay, and stole about five goalposts and snapped two more.

The large plastic frames had been left on the pitch overnight but when club members arrived the next day, they discovered most of the posts had disappeared.

The non-profit club, had to urgently spend about £2,000 to pay for more goalposts, so the children could start their season on time.

Extra money was spent on sturdy metal goalposts that cannot be lifted away easily.

Club chairman Chris Meredith said the thieves had effectively stolen from the children themselves.

He said: “Every child pays a club subscription of a one-off payment between £110 and £150 for the whole year and this buys the kits, the training and helps us pay our rent.

“At the end of it, we come out completely non-profit.

“The money we have had to use to pay for the new goalposts could have been put towards stuff for the children like better training.

“They are stealing from the children.They are only taking away the children’s fun at the end of the day. It’s so frustrating as we have put in so much time and effort into it.”

Mr Meredith hopes members of the public would be happy to donate to the club so the children are not out of pocket themselves.

He said: “It’s very difficult for us moneywise when you get mindless thugs doing that.

“People know the football club is voluntary sowe are really hoping someone could help replace the goalposts.

“We could get the names of the sponsors printed on them, or something.”

The club was formed in 1987 and trains about 200 children aged up to 17.

If you can help with a donation, call Mr Meredith on 07967 645764.