Fundraiser to secure Gledhow Sports and Social club after travellers set up camp one week after lockdown reopening

Gledhow Sports and Social Club began welcoming back members last weekend for the first time since March, helping to bring in much-needed cash to support the running of the club.

But it has been forced to close again after travellers pitched up on the fields off Gledhow Lane on Friday.

Now the club committee has set up an online fundraising page to help raise funds to protect the fields, which date back to 1880, once the travellers move on.

Acting steward Richard Walker said he believed the group were from the same community that has been on Fearnville Playing Fields and Roundhay Park in recent weeks.

The volunteer-led club had introduced social distancing measures ahead of reopening and encouraged people to bring blankets to sit outside last week.

The first weekend was a success, with an influx of new members.

Mr Walker said: "We'd had the clubhouse freshly painted and given it a deep clean and we were ready to make some money for the club again.

"It was so disappointing to watch them all drive on.

"We were almost in despair - all the hard work had gone to waste."

Around eight caravans are pitched up, each with their own cars and vans, plus motorbikes and a transit van.

"We had no choice but to shut up shop," Mr Walker added. "The pitches are in a right state already.

"We'd just started work one of them after getting some FA funding, but that has been destroyed.

"The motorbikes have been doing doughnuts on the cricket fields.

"It's been heartbreaking to see.

"If it carries on and we can't open then I don't know what the future holds for the place.

"If we did shut down then the fields would be open to abuse as they would not be maintained."

It's been a case of terrible timing for the club, as they had been in the process of installing bollards to prevent trespassing, but had not yet finished the work.

With four months of no revenue due to lockdown, the club is calling on the community to help protect its future by donating to help fund new security measures.

Police have been at the site most days but have advised the club there is little they can do beyond that.

Instances of criminal or anti-social behaviour are to be reported to the police or Leeds City Council's anti-social behaviour team.

You can donate to the fundraiser here.