A BRADFORD rugby club’s main pitch is back in action after vandals damaged goalposts beyond repair earlier this summer.

The posts at Wibsey Rugby Club were left leaning over and cracked at the base by people swinging on them, making the pitch in Northfield Road unsafe for play.

Teams were forced to travel to a pitch in Beldon Road for their home games, but now, thanks to an online crowdfunding appeal, new posts have been put up and the pitch is ready for the rugby union side’s first home match of the season tomorrow.

The club operates 13 junior, open age, and girls’ rugby league and rugby union teams, and was facing a logistical nightmare by only having one pitch available.

The crowdfunding appeal aimed to raise £1,500 for new posts, and managed to raise £921.

Steve Brooke, Wibsey Rugby Club chairman, said in the end this proved enough to have the goalposts replaced.

He said: “We have got the new posts up on the pitch, they’ve been up for about a week now.

“All the repairs are done, and we have a little bit left over which we will be putting towards getting the fences on Northfield Road fixed and secured.

“We are also hoping to fit new gates which will hopefully keep people out.

“There is a walkway next to the pitch which will remain open but we are also hoping to put some fencing up next to the ginnel which runs alongside Wibsey Primary School to stop people using the pitch as a playground.

“The union team’s first home game is on Saturday so we are all good to go for the new season.”

Mr Brooke also revealed the club has applied for additional funding from the Rugby Football Union and the Rugby Football League to develop the site into a community sports hub.

“We are hoping to install some dugouts and also replace the barriers around the pitch,” he added.

“We want to develop what used to be the all-weather pitch further down the site, and become a community sports area.

“Rugby league and union will be the main sports but we have had an approach from a Sunday League football team looking to invest; we are having a meeting in a couple of weeks.

“The new pitch could be used for both sports and also as a training pitch, but we need funding from the RFU and RFL first. This won’t happen overnight.”