Vandals tear up New Lambton Football Club ground at Novovastrian Park

New Lambton Football Club members arrived to the ground about 6.30am Saturday to find every field damaged by tyre tracks.

"It's the worst damage I've seen," New Lambton Football Club juniors president Steve Manning said. "Someone has taken advantage while it's damp and more pliable."

"It's pretty devastating considering the hours volunteers have put in to maintain the ground."

All games on Saturday and Sunday have had to be cancelled as a result. Mid week games and training may also need to be called off.

"We just can't risk someone getting hurt," Mr Manning said.

"We had a couple of little ones down here early in tears because they didn't get to play. It's heartbreaking when you see that because that's what we're here for and that can't happen because of someone's stupidity."

Mr Manning said vandalism had been an ongoing issue at the park for years, and the club had pleaded with Newcastle City Council to do something to prevent it.

"It's very frustrating because we can see a simple solution but can't get that past the authorities," he said.

"This is our first major one this year. It happens every year.

"It's going to be costly to repair the fields, the number of times we've repaired and replaced turf would have far outweighed the cost of putting barriers around the park."

Council installed sandstone blocks on the Birdwood Street end of the ground, but this damage was caused by cars entering at a different, unblocked part of the park.

"It appears as if someone may have been here once and come back, or there were multiple cars because there are a number of tracks leading on and off the field," Mr Manning said.

"We don't want to fence it in as such. It's a beautiful facility, we're more than happy with residents using it but we need some kind of barrier."

A council spokesperson said additional sandstone blocks had been ordered with planned installation on the Orchardtown Road side of the park in the next few weeks.

"This will further limit vehicles from accessing the grounds," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said council had previously proposed fencing a number of parks in the New Lambton area. But each time had "received hundreds of complaints from nearby residents".

"Hence low rising sandstone blocks are considered a good compromise which deter vandals but also don't limit access to the park," the spokesperson said.

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen and councillor Peta Winney-Baartz attended the park on Saturday morning. Cr Clausen urged anyone with information to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

"Someone must have seen this happen," he said. "There has to be a consequence for causing so much damage to a public park."

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