'We need to secure the ground because the club has to be a welcoming place'

Cricket club trying to counter anti-social acts

- BY BEN HASLAM

MEMBERS at a local cricket club that has been plagued with violent clashes and antisocial behaviour are stepping up efforts to protect themselves and children who use the grounds.

The Advertiser has previously reported on the issues that have faced Maghull Cricket Club in recent months, from vicious fights to fires being lit.

We visited the cricket club, with club secretary Neil Dutton explaining how things have improved since the criminality peaked at the beginning of May.

Children were captured on camera armed as they prepared to “engage in organised fighting” while around 50 children, aged between nine and 13, were escorted from the pitch, with some in tears.

One mum who witnessed the incident wrote on Facebook at the time: “I was there this evening with my eight and 10 year old. It was truly terrifying. I would like to just say a massive thank you to the adults, especially the men/fathers, involved with the club who quickly stepped in ushering the children to safety and stepping in bravely to defend them if needed. You didn’t hesitate to take action and it didn’t go unnoticed.”

Speaking to the Advertiser, Neil, who re-joined the club following the Covid-19 pandemic, said: “It's been really frustrating, especially because it just seemed that we were being targeted because of how open and accessible the field is, obviously there’s multiple routes on and off.

“You've got the normal way to come in through the car park. There's the canal, there’s multiple ways in off the canal. And it just seems that our ‘friends’ just see it as an easy area for them to come. They've become a lot bolder. A few years ago, when we had issues, if we rang the police that would scare them off.”