Members of an amateur football club have called for help after a fire destroyed their clubhouse last night, Sunday.
Thousands of pounds worth of damage is said to have been caused by a fire at Heywood Sports Village on West Starkey Street, at 7pm after the facility, which was a renovated shipping container, went up in flames.
The container served as a clubhouse for Avenue Football Club players and storage for equipment, balls, old football shirts and memorabilia, all of which have now been destroyed.
Bury fire crews were sent to the incident and one of the club players alerted Gemma Tobin, the club secretary, after spotting smoke nearby.
She said: “It’s such a shame that something that brings joy to our community can just be demolished in seconds.
Kids have set fire to our club house Avenue fc no respect to all the hard work our volunteers put in words fail me as most football teams know to replace cost money that most dont have pic.twitter.com/BtzNqIJUe4
— Robert Barnes (@RBarnes66) May 14, 2023
“I only live up the road and as soon as I walked out my front door I could see the smoke, the cabin was engulfed in flames and was starting to spread to other ones.
“It is disappointing because we all work jobs and then volunteer our time to do what is best for the club.
“I spend probably a good 80 per cent of my week volunteering and it's just sad when we try to bring something to Heywood and this happens.”
Avenue FC is a small, not-for-profit football club from Heywood and the shipping container had been donated to the club around two years ago.
Players, committee members and other volunteers renovated the container to turn it into a space for players to meet up and for volunteers to work from.
Two fire engines from Whitefield and Bury central fire station were called to the fire at 7pm last night, Sunday, May 14, and used a thermal image camera and a hose reel to extinguish the fire.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown and the club has set up a GoFundMe crowdfunding appeal with hopes of raising money to replace equipment, build a new facility or find alternative premises.
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A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “Just after 7pm last night (Sunday), two fire engines from Whitefield and Bury central fire station were called to reports of a fire involving a shipping container on West Starkey Street, Heywood.
“Crews arrived quickly at the scene.
"Firefighters used a thermal image camera and a hose reel to extinguish the fire.
“Firefighters were in attendance for around thirty minutes.”
For more information on the club's fundraiser see here: https://gofund.me/4cbe27a3
If you have a story tweet @BuryTimes or @Heywoodharriet_ or email Harriet.Heywood@newsquest.co.uk
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