A junior football club could be on the brink of folding after vandals destroyed their pitch.

People living near Weston Lane Junior Sports and Social club, in Otley, said they saw a blue van being driven all over the playing surface at about 8.30pm on Tuesday.

Yesterday the full damage to the pitch became clear, leaving parents, coaches and youngsters believing football is unlikely to be played at the club again this season.

One of Weston Lane’s coaches and officers now thinks the incident could spell the end of the club, which has teams from under-eights to under-11s.

Vanessa James, the club’s fundraising officer and coach to the under- eights’ team, last night said she was not sure Weston Lane could recover. “Unfortunately somebody has driven all over our pitch and cut it up and to the extent it looks like it’s possibly going to take us out for the rest of the season,” she said.

“There have been several of us stood over on the field and we’re all devastated. The pitch is destroyed.

“We’ve just paid to have the markings on the pitch burned in. That’s cost £200, which isn’t a lot of money but is to a little club like us.

“It’s a small, voluntary-run club with the focus on fun for the children and potentially the club may even fold if we can’t play football.”

Mrs James said concerned parents and children had already contacted her about the future of the club while coaches were frantically trying to see if other short-term arrangements could be made in time to save this weekend’s games.

“We’ve already got children asking ‘is that it?’,” she said.

“It makes the pitch unsafe apart from anything else.

“We have to contact the league to see if they will even allow us to use it in the future.”

West Yorkshire Police are investigating the incident and anyone who might have seen the vandalism or has any information about it is asked to call the North West Outer Neighbourhood Policing Team on (01274) 471458.

In November 2000, an arson attack ravaged the clubhouse, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage and leaving the club with a major rebuilding job.

But the club fought back to mark its 50th anniversary and achieve the Football Association’s charter standard award.