Whitehaven's weekend went from bad to worse after a heavy defeat and more injuries against London Broncos.

For the party arrived back in west Cumbria to find out that the club had been burgled for the 14th time in the last 12 months.

Chairman Tommy Todd said: “It is heartbreaking because what was taken was minimal. It’s the damage they leave behind and the cost of repairing things which really make life hard.

“Alarms don’t come cheap and new, stronger doors are expensive. It all adds up because of the number of break-ins we’ve had at the club.

“These persistent burglars are doing their best to put us out of business.”

The Whitehaven party hadn’t arrived back home until 5am as they had waited for full-back Ed Chamberlain to be attended to at hospital in London.

He was eventually able to leave with his teammates and the problem seems to have been diagnosed as a torn abductor muscle in his hip.

The Widnes player was being assessed by his Super League club and will certainly miss Saturday’s big showdown with Workington Town at Blackpool in the Summer Bash.

Winger Jordan Burns will be assessed during the week after suffering concussion against London when the game was held up for 10 minutes while he was attended to. Specific guidelines are laid down for players who suffer bouts of concussion.

Burns was able to travel home with the rest of the party, as was the third injured player Sam Brooks. 

Haven general manager Amanda Hewer said: “Sam’s ankle was swollen after the game but he is hoping that he will be fine by the weekend.”

Dion Aiye and Craig Calvert, who were unable to travel to London, will also be back in action for the Summer Bash confrontation with Town.