Yeadon club cricket pitch being ‘wrecked’ by dog walkers (From Wharfedale Observer)

Yeadon club cricket pitch being ‘wrecked’ by dog walkers

9:22am Thursday 27th September 2012 in Local news

A cricket club groundsman is issuing a new appeal to dog owners to keep their animals away from the pitch – and stop causing hundreds of pounds of damage.

Tommy Powell says irresponsible dog walkers are damaging the ground at the Green Lane Club in Yeadon by allowing their animals to exercise on it.

Now he is asking them to show consideration and to take their dogs to another part of Nunroyd Park.

Mr Powell made a similar appeal at the beginning of last year, warning that the ground was being turned into a sea of mud and stressing that the damage could cost hundreds of pounds to repair.

But he says the situation has not improved since then and said damage was still being caused – particularly after the recent spell of heavy rain.

“I was down there this morning and there were 17 dogs,” he said.

“All I got from the owners was abuse. One of them told me ‘you can’t stop me, I can go wherever I like’.

“They are wrecking the cricket ground and it is just getting silly now.”

Mr Powell appealed to dog owners to avoid the cricket club grounds and go to other areas of the park instead.

“There is a park which is absolutely massive. There is no need for them to come in front of the clubhouse,” he said.

“They just won’t help us – I would like some of them to come forward and say why they do it.”

The club has suffered consistent problems from vandals and irresponsible dog owners.

Mr Powell said dog fouling signs put up by the club had been torn down within days.

Nearly three years ago he asked the public to help stop mindless vandals who were damaging the field.

That appeal was made after hooligans caused damage by driving a vehicle over the field twice within the space of six weeks.

The damage cost thousands of pounds to repair.