Cricket club 'devastated' after building destroyed by fire
The blaze is being treated as a suspected arson attack
A cricket club in Hampshire has said it is 'devastated' after a fire tore through its main building in the early hours of Thursday (January 27th).
Fire crews were called to Paultons Cricket Club in Ower, near Romsey, after the blaze broke out in a pavilion there.
Teams from Redbridge, Romsey, St Mary’s and Eastleigh were sent out and remained at the scene until 8.12am.
In a statement published on social media, the club said it believed the fire to have been started deliberately.
Mark Lamb, the club's chairman, said the damage to the club was substantial:
"The away changing room's completely burnt out, the pool room's completely burnt out and there's a lot of smoke damage in the other rooms.
"It'll be massive for the club - this is obviously the time of the year where we plan and move forward for the start of the season, and half the club's not there any more.
"Financially, we're insured, but there's lots of other aspects, loss of earnings and stuff like that.
"We're all in shock really, you get woken up to hear the cricket club's on fire, it's not really what you want to be woken up to, and then to see the damage - it's pretty heart-breaking to be honest."
A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said:
"A vehicle was located at the rear of the premises alight, which had then spread to a wooden cricket pavilion building.
"Police enquires remain ongoing and we are working with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.
"Did you see what happened? Did you see anyone acting suspiciously in the area?"
Anyone with information in relation to this incident is asked to call 101, quoting crime reference number 44220035829.
A crowdfunding page has been set up to raise money to cover the cost of damages as a result of the fire.