THE DEFIANT secretary of a Bradford bowls club whose clubhouse was targeted in an arson attack remains confident of it being open in time for their new season.

The Bradford Council-owned base of Bradford Moor Bowls Club, Bradford Moor Park, Killinghall Road, was set alight in three different seats of fire, causing significant damage.

The suspects targeted the club, which has 32 members, breaking in through the steel shutters over the clubhouse's windows.

No-one was injured in the incident, which took place between 2.20pm and 4pm on Sunday, February 7, this year.

The attack also saw the suspects smash up the clubhouse's toilets and all of the electricity supply at the site may need re-wiring.

Work still needing to be completed includes fitting new toilets and sinks at the clubhouse, new electricity supplies such as internal lighting and flooring.

The first match on the green, when it is hoped the clubhouse will be open for, sees Bradford Moor face Eccleshill in a veterans match on April 7.

A Bradford Council spokesman said: "The Council has begun repairing the premises and hopes work will be completed so the bowls club can commence their season as usual. The total figure for the costs, which we will not recharge to the club, has not yet been finalised."

West Yorkshire Police has also started a re-appeal for information about the arson attack.

Bradford Moor Bowls Club secretary Barry Durrans, 78, of Eccleshill, said: "We think we can get the clubhouse open in time for our first match on April 7.

"As long as the toilets and the electrics are in there, we will be OK. I'm quite confident.

"It is still with the insurers.

"We are just waiting now. We are hoping to have it ready for April 2, a few days before our season starts.

"This was something the council don't need. They own the building.

"We have been a bit despondent after it happened.

"We had nothing in there worth stealing. We are not doing any harm to anyone. We can't figure out why it happened at all.

"We want to carry on. We will keep it going. We will be doing the work between now and our first game of the season. If we can get the basics in, we can carry on.

"This was the second time it's happened, almost exactly 12 months before. We have definitely been targeted."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman added its enquiries into the arson attack were ongoing but wished to appeal for any potential witnesses, who may have been in or around Bradford Moor Park, to come forward.

Anyone who has any information is asked to contact PC Martin Junni via 101 quoting reference 13160055729 or call independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.