Bowls club spreesparks warning

Ward councillors visited parts of Ravensthorpe over the weekend, asking for community support in stopping damage at Holroyd Park.

A bowling club official went with them to highlight the effect on members.

“It seems to have worked,” said Coun Mumtaz Hussain (Lab, Dews West). “It has been a really quiet weekend.”

Action was called for when railings around the bowling green and clubhouse were ripped out twice in less than a week.

Kirklees Council workmen had only just done repairs when vandals struck again on Friday. Youths have also been running around the green, digging up the turf.

Over the weekend, Coun Hussain and Coun Darren O’ Donovan (Lab, Dews West) were out in the community, talking to parents and young people.

“Local kids are doing this,” said Coun Hussain. “We have sent out a strong message that this is not on and that security cameras are now operating around the club site.

“We have made it clear that anyone we find causing trouble will be taken straight to the police station. ”

Coun Hussain said parents had been supportive and that at Friday prayers, mosque imams also spoke out against anti-social behaviour.

“They made it clear that this kind of behaviour is not right and distressing others in the community,” he said.

Coun O’Donovan said: “We won’t tolerate this sort of thing. We must nip it in the bud.”