HEARTLESS thieves broke into a Llandudno junior football team manager’s shed and stole £300 worth of equipment in the side’s first week back at training since Christmas.
The raiders made off with footballs, mini goals, training tops and goalkeeper’s gloves from Llandudno Under 8s and 9s manager Steve McElroy’s garden shed in Craig y Don on Friday afternoon.
He told The Pioneer: “I’ve got to replace the equipment out of my own pocket - in 20-odd years with Llandudno football club I’ve never known anything like it.
“The size of the equipment suggests that we’re a kids’ team so to do this is pretty low.”
The former Llandudno FC manager went to the shed to prepare for the weekend’s games and training, but was shocked to find the equipment was gone.
The teams borrowed goals and training cones to mark out a pitch for training sessions from the under 11s team, and used old equipment for matches against Glan Conwy at the Oval on Sunday.
Parents had raised money for equipment through packing bags at Marks and Spencer and raffles at the Oval ground.
Tracy Dryburgh whose son Matthew plays for the under 9s team said the theft had affected both players and parents
“The kids were a little down at the weekend and we are quite upset about it,” she said. “The manager puts in so much time and effort in and someone has gone in and taken the stuff.”
Mr McElroy appealed for anyone with any information on the theft, or who would like to donate equipment to the team to call Llandudno Football Club on 01492 860 945.
The incident has been reported to North Wales Police, who are investigating.