A junior Dundee football club has been devastated by an arson attack that has caused £20k damage to kit and equipment.
Police are investigating the blaze at Dundee St James FC in the Douglas area of the city.
Thugs cut off a ‘very good’ padlock to a container at the club on the Drumgeith Road late on Tuesday night.
It was full of football kit for children’s classes, kids football goals, a ride on lawnmower, line painters, smaller lawnmowers and dozens of other power tools and equipment.
Nothing could be salvaged from the fire that couldn’t be seen from the road because it was enclosed in the metal container.
The popular local club has hundreds of young players on its books.
Speaking yesterday, the club’s facilities manager, Danny McGregor, said: ““We can’t believe someone has deliberately done this.
“We have lost everything. Tens of thousands of pounds of damage has been caused.
“We are absolutely shattered.”
He added: ““The petrol canister in the container was obviously used to start the fire,” Danny added.
“It looks like they set fire to it and threw it into the container.
“The blaze must have been fierce and the heat intense as the container is completely destroyed inside.
“The fire has actually melted the wall between it and our second container, which holds a lot of the football equipment, destroying most of it as well.”
A Police Scotland spokesman confirmed officers are investigating the incident.
They said: “We are appealing for information after a metal container with sports equipment and tools inside was broken into and set on fire at Fairfield Sports Club, Drumgieth Road, Dundee, between 9.15pm on Tuesday, 25 January, and 9am on Wednesday, 26 January.
“Fortunately no one was injured but considerable damage was caused and equipment used by the community destroyed.
“Anyone who can help is asked to call 101, quoting incident number 0755 of Wednesday, 26 January, or make a call anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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