Sports clubs have slammed hooligans who left used condoms and drugs paraphernalia on a children’s football pitch and destroyed benches at a cricket club.

Coaches at Whitehaven Miners Social Football Club were disgusted to find the condoms, along with empty laughing gas containers and beer bottles on their pitch, where children as young as six play.

Egremont Cricket Club has also hit out at youths who tore down a spectator bench at the weekend.

Liam Seager, chairman of Whitehaven Miners, said the club was now “at breaking point” after a spate of incidents, which have also included damage to a fence and a goal net being torn.

“It’s atrocious. It’s a kids’ football pitch. Our volunteers have to go down and check the whole pitch before a game ­— it’s a big pitch. The coaches have to pick [the condoms] up with double bags.

“It’s private property ­— they shouldn’t be on there. We are trying to raise money to build a larger fence.”

Mr Seager said they had been forced to cancel games in the past because the pitch had been destroyed.

“It’s disheartening for the whole club. We have kids of all ages and some are from the poorer boroughs.

“We don’t mind kids playing football. But we have had kids breaking on to the pitch, bending bars back. It’s young teens with nothing better to do. If they want to play, come down and play on a team.

“We’re trying to make the best of a bad situation because of Covid. It’s heartbreaking. We are at breaking point.

“We would appreciate if members of the public do see people there who aren’t training, to ring the police on 101.”

Julie Hodgson, treasurer of Egremont Cricket Club, said it was a shock to see the damage that had been done to the club’s spectator bench.

“I know it’s only a few breeze blocks, but it’s vandalism,” she said. “It’s done for no reason and no reward. It’s annoying for us. It’s just the inconvenience.

“We are all volunteers and the last thing we need is people causing damage. It means there are more jobs to be done.”

She added that Egremont Rugby League Club had also been having problems with teenagers gathering on the club’s grounds.