Crime warning for footballers

Football clubs have been urged to make security a top priority, after one local team saw its dressing rooms raided and cash stolen.

Poringland Wanderers Reserves had a midweek match against Corton FC on Wednesday, which kicked off at 6.15pm.

It emerged after the match that more than �300 had been taken from the changing rooms at Poringland Memorial Playing Field during the first half.

Now the club's chairman, John Overton, pictured, who is also South Norfolk councillor for the Poringland and the Framinghams ward, is warning other clubs to be careful.

He said: 'This is a warning to all clubs who have not had incidents for years that you must still be cautious at all times.

'I think clubs do get complacent and you can't afford to be – and we have learnt a sharp lesson.'

Officers from the Poringland safer neighbourhood team are now looking into the thefts and analysing CCTV footage from the clubhouse from between 6pm and 7.15pm.

Mr Overton added: 'We have reimbursed the Corton player and our players with their money.

'We are doing the right thing because we don't want people to think they have got to worry about playing here.'

Anyone with details about the thefts at Poringland should contact PCSO Joe Pike at the Poringland SNT or the non-emergency 101 number.

Have you got a crime story? Contact Peter Walsh on 01603 772436 or peter.walsh@archant.co.uk