Midlothian crime: Police hunt motorbike gang after Dalkeith football pitches wrecked at Cowden Park

Football matches cancelled after gang on motorbikes wreck pitches

Youth football bosses have slammed the “mindless” quad bike vandals who caused extensive damage to their pitches in Midlothian this week. Dalkeith Thistle CFC coaches have been forced to cancel kids’ footie matches this weekend after several off-road bikes churned up the turf at the town’s Cowden Park on Thursday night.

Footage posted online shows around six motorbikes and quad bikes causing damage to four pitches by careering across the large grass park for several minutes at around 9pm. Police Scotland has launched a hunt for the gang after a spokesperson revealed a number of the bikes were “deliberately used to collide with a police vehicle” following a chase later that evening.

Dalkeith Thistle CFC Chairman Michael McCran said the destruction will affect “hundreds of children” aged between six-years-old and 16 and has appealed for information regarding the incident.

Midlothian crime: motorbike vandals wreck Dalkeith football pitch

He said: “We were really shocked and saddened to hear of the damage caused to our pitches, but it was even worse than I first feared when I saw it for myself on Friday morning. It is not just a totally mindless attack on our club, but it is an attack on our whole community.

“There are hundreds of children from all the towns in the local area who regularly use these facilities but will now be left disappointed due to games having to be called off. Unfortunately for our club, it is going to take a bit of time and plenty hard work to get these pitches playable again. I really hope the police can find the culprits because they need disciplining, and if anyone has any information regarding this incident I would urge them to come forward.”

Hundreds of locals have also taken to social media to blast the vandals who left the trail of destruction following their joy riding at around 9pm on Thursday. One said: “These clowns need locked up. Ripping up pitches which mean kids can’t play. Some kids that’s all the have to look forward to.”

A second posted: “Shocking - they need caught, charged and there (sic) vehicles taken off them to fund the repairs.” And a third added: “Absolute idiots man why do this? Feel sorry for the kids, coaches and parents who just want to play football.”

Matches have been cancelled after the incident at Cowden Park

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of concerns about quad bikes being used at Cowden Park in Dalkeith around 9.05pm on Thursday, 16 February. While officers were attending the incident, the quad bikes were deliberately used to collide with a police vehicle at Burnbrae Roundabout near Cockpen, causing minor damage. No one was injured. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing.”