A community football club has been ransacked by heartless burglars.

Witham Town Football Club, in Spa Road, was broken into overnight.

The burglars left a trail of destruction behind them and stole stock as well as damaging the club's facilities.

Chairman Mark Nicholls said: “They broke nine doors and the frames inside the club.

“They got into the cellar and took some stock and broke into the fruit machine.

“It has caused a few thousand pounds worth of damage, which is money we haven’t got. I’ve never seen so much damage.

“This tends to happen roughly every 18 months, it hasn’t happened in a year.”

The burglars cut a hole through the training ground fence to get into the property, and tied the front gates shut so that members of the club could not enter this morning.

Mr Nicholls has put an appeal on the club’s Facebook page asking for any witnesses to come forward.

Witham Mayor JoAnn William said: “It looks terrible. I am sickened by it.

“We have started putting some extra pressure on police to do more. The lack of resources for the police is not enough of an excuse.

“I feel the bad guys have an open season, they know the police won’t do anything and we are not going to let that rest.

“Spa Road has been an issue for a while. Everyone is as good as gold when they see the police, but when they are not there it’s a problem.

“Police are doing what they can, but it’s not enough. This is a facility that helps young people, I don’t understand it and I’m very angry about it.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "Tills were taken and doors and a vending machine damaged.

"A four-figure sum of cash was taken and damage worth a four-figure sum was caused."

Anyone with information should contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.