Vandals 'abuse the privilege' of access to damage St Kevin's sports field

Vandals who damaged a sports field at St Kevin's College have been accused of taking advantage of the school's open-door policy, intended to allow public access to sports facilities.

Just a month after hoons ripped up huge sections of the Weston Sportsground by driving a motor vehicle over the grass, a similar incident on Sunday night was reported at St Kevin's College in Oamaru.

School principal Paul Olsen said the vandals had caused "significant" damage to the school's No1 cricket field and running track, but staff had immediately sprung into action to help mitigate the damage.

Mr Olsen said he was "hopeful" that with a good growing season, the damage would not interfere with upcoming cricket fixtures.

"It's very disappointing when you have pristine grounds that you take such pride in that vandals would show so little respect for the property.

"We have almost park-like grounds, so we try to have easy access and try to be quite welcoming in terms of public access to share the facilities, and it is just disappointing that a small group of people really abuse the privilege.

"If locals do see this sort of activity happening, they should feel free to involve the police."

Head groundskeeper Allan Grant said the wheel ruts had been filled with soil but because the vandals had driven through running track lines, which had been treated with a poison to stop grass growing, the full extent of the damage would not be known for several months.

"There's no telling where that will end up.

"We could have dead spots anywhere."

andrew.ashton@odt.co.nz