A CRICKET club on the outskirts of Taunton has suffered a “devastating” break-in which saw more than £1,000 worth of property stolen.

The break-in is said to have happened on Wednesday, July 19, at West Monkton Cricket Club’s ground, in Bridgwater Road.

Club members are now asking the community to be vigilant following the incident, which saw a large quantity of alcohol and soft drinks stolen, as well as maintenance equipment.

A spokesman for the club said it was a real blow.

“Obviously this is devastating to a small club like ours, which is funded purely by our paying members,” he said.

“With the developments being built around us we are looking to become more involved in the local community and have already this year gained a number of new members.

“It may appear like petty crime to some but incidents like this can really affect the operations of a cricket club.”

According to the club, two generators, a lawn mower, a lead blower and 10 litres of petrol were taken.

This, added to the value of the drinks, brings the total of goods stolen to around £1,000.

The club will now be reviewing its security but urged the public to report anything they may know about the incident to police.

The spokesman added: “There’s a lot of people that put in a lot of hard work at the club and incidents like this set us back both physically and mentally as all the work that has been put in can be taken away like this.

“We’re a club funded purely by our members and sponsors so the equipment and product stolen has a huge affect on our operation. By no means are we a big club so a hit like this can affect us more then most.

“While we’re reviewing our security measures we can only ask that the local community remain vigilant to this sort of crime and report anything suspicious to the police.”

Avon and Somerset Police confirmed the break-in and asks anyone with information to call 101 quoting reference number 5217164884.