
Watch: Community rugby pitch destroyed after travellers set up camp
A community rugby pitch has been churned up by a driver performing a series of handbrake turns at speed.
The unknown vandal was recorded driving a blue hatchback across the turf, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage by doing 'doughnuts' on Wednesday.
The pitch in Meyrick Park, Dorset, is home to Oakmeadians Rugby Club and is used for summer activities including children's clubs.
A large group of caravans belonging to travellers can be seen in the background of the video.
The travellers reportedly removed large boulders which acted as barriers to gain access to the park in Bournemouth.
An Oakmeadians spokesman said: 'We are sadly faced with the harsh reality of thousands of pounds worth of damage to our beloved pitches at Meyrick Park after a recent encampment set up here.
'This damage occurred in less than 48 hours. This is by far the worst we have had to deal with over the years and now we as a club are solely responsible for funding and orchestrating the clear up.
'We are gutted beyond words.'
Members of the rugby club called the police who were able to move the travellers on within 24 hours using a Section 61 dispersal notice.
The travellers also allegedly felled a tree during at the park, which also has a golf course, bowls club and is a favourite of young families.
Club members took to social media to voice their anger at the pitch being 'disrespected and vandalised'.
Jo Keeling said: 'So sorry to hear about the damage at Meyrick Park. It's infuriating and deeply upsetting to see our rugby club disrespected and vandalised.
'The hard work and dedication of everyone involved with the club deserve much better than this. It's disheartening to think that in less than 48 hours, years of effort and thousands of pounds worth of value can be destroyed.'
Others called on the police and council to do more to stop the vandalism. Chris Hawkins said: 'So, where are the police and the local council?'
The club foresees having to spend a four-figure sum to repair the damage to the pitch.
A spokesman for Dorset Police said: 'Dorset Police was made aware of an unauthorised encampment and anti-social driving that caused minor damage at Meyrick Park in Bournemouth.
'Following consultation with the relevant local partners, an eviction notice was issued under section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 requiring the group to leave the site.
'Officers from the neighbourhood policing team continued to monitor the situation to ensure the notice was complied with and there were no further reports of anti-social behaviour in the area. The group left Meyrick Park on Thursday 22 May, 2025.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
15 minutes ago
- The Independent
Hong Kong police accuse a mobile game app of promoting armed revolution
Hong Kong police on Tuesday accused a mobile game application of advocating armed revolution and promoting secessionist agendas, saying that those who publish it or share it with others online may risk violating national security laws. The announcement — the first to publicly denounce a gaming app — indicates that authorities are widening the crackdown that has followed anti-government protests in 2019. Authorities have crushed or silenced many dissenting voices through prosecutions under the 2020 national security law imposed by Beijing and a similar, homegrown law enacted last year. In a statement, police warned residents against downloading the 'Reversed Front: Bonfire" application, saying those with the app installed might be seen as possessing a publication with a seditious intention. They also warned people against providing financial assistance to the application developer, including making in-app purchases. ''Reversed Front: Bonfire' was released under the guise of a game with the aim of promoting secessionist agendas such as ' Taiwan independence' and 'Hong Kong independence,' advocating armed revolution and the overthrow of the fundamental system of the People's Republic of China,' police said. The game application was developed by ESC Taiwan, which did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment. On the application's Facebook page, the developer posted about surging searches for the game name and a Hong Kong broadcaster's news report about Tuesday's development. According to the application's introduction, players can assume the role of Hong Kong, Tibet, Uyghur, Taiwan or Cathaysian Rebel factions, among others, to overthrow the communist regime. They may also choose to lead the communists to defeat all enemies. The game's website says it 'is a work of nonfiction. Any similarity to actual agencies, policies or ethnic groups of the PRC in this game is intentional.' On Tuesday night, the app was still available on Apple's App Store but not on the Google Play store. The game publisher last month said Google Play had taken the app down because it did not prohibit users from adopting hateful language in naming. Apple, Google and Meta have not immediately commented. After playing the game for about three months, Kuo Hao Fu in Taiwan said he found that its content uses a humorous approach to describe serious political issues. Fu disagreed with the police accusations, saying players can also choose to be part of the force representing China. 'The Hong Kong police's actions demonstrate how Hong Kong's democratic freedoms have been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party,' he said. 'When even this level cannot be tolerated, it completely destroys creative freedom in gaming.' China considers Taiwan its own territory, to be brought under its control by force if necessary. Many Taiwanese in the self-ruled island showed concerns about Hong Kong's declining freedoms under Beijing's grip. The Beijing and Hong Kong governments insist the city's national security laws were necessary to return stability to the city following the protests.


Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE New horror drug causing carnage in Britain: They're sold as anxiety pills, are 50 times more powerful than heroin and feel like a 'bomb in your brain'. No wonder bereft parents say: 'They're murder'
Thinking back, John Melbourne estimates that he summoned police to the family home almost 30 times in a single year because of his son. While Will's drug use was linked to mental health issues and 'wasn't a recreational thing', his unpredictable behaviour had left his loved ones afraid for their safety.


The Guardian
37 minutes ago
- The Guardian
'A national tragedy': nine people killed by gunman in Austria school shooting
Austria's chancellor, Christian Stocker, announced three days of national mourning after nine people were killed by a former student at a school in the southwestern city of Graz. Austrian police said the perpetrator was a 21-year-old man who entered the school armed with two weapons he is believed to have owned legally. The gunman reportedly killed himself at the scene