SPORTS clubs across Devon and Cornwall are being urged to be vigilant following two recent break-ins which saw high-value machinery stolen.

Between 9.20pm and 10am on Saturday December, 13, a lock-up at Bude Town Football Club was accessed and a tractor taken.

The New Holland Boomer 25 Compact tractor, valued at £16,500, has a serial number of LSMB25CRALLA10113 and the registration number is WJ70 UPB.

A spokesperson for Bude Football Club said: “We are really devastated to announce that someone has broken into Bude Town Football Club and has stolen our tractor.

“This is an absolute hammer blow to us as it is probably our clubs biggest asset and crucial for players of all ages from near and far to be playing football in our town and community.

“Please, if anyone has any information, has seen or heard anything or if anyone has any Ring doorbell footage around the Broadclose area, we would really appreciate hearing from you. Other clubs have been hit over time and we always made sure that we were as secure as possible with the tractor kept in a double locked shed.

“With the amount of hard work and man hours from the club volunteers into raising money to maintain our club, for this to happen is just gut wrenching. We will make further comments in due course.”

Devon and Cornwall Police said that the thefts at Bude Football Club followed an overnight burglary at Ogwell Football Club in Newton Abbot, where a ride-on lawn mower and trailer were stolen in similar circumstances.

PC Neil Sommerfeld said: “These burglaries are the latest in a series of break-ins targeting sports clubs in Devon and Cornwall over recent months.

“Sports clubs are a focal point of their local communities and often rely on the hard work of volunteers to survive.

“Targeting sports clubs shows no regard for the players, volunteers, supporters and coaches at these clubs.

“We are asking clubs to ensure storage areas are secured and monitored. We will continue to investigate any such offences reported to us.”

Anybody with relevant footage or information is asked to contact police via 101 quoting 50250320306 for reports relating to the Bude incident.

Elsewhere, Holsworthy Area Sports Pavilion (HASP) said that there had been an attempted break in at their premises, albeit unsuccessful.

A spokesperson for the HASP management team said: “Unfortunately on the back of Bude Football Club being broken into, and their tractor being stolen.

“We were also targets last night with both the containers behind the pavilion broken into with the padlocks chopped with bolt cutters. Fortunately we seem to be have been lucky with nothing being taken this time.

“If there are any CCTV on houses in the housing estates adjacent to the pavilion, we would very much like to help get the thieves caught. Local sports clubs have been the targets over the last year and the loss of machinery etc is a huge loss to such clubs. Be vigilant and let’s get these lot caught.”