A tractor worth £3,000 was stolen from Chatteris Cricket Club as thieves smashed down a fence and broke into a shed.

The incident happened between 5pm Monday (October 29) and 6am yesterday – the same time that Needingworth and Warboys Cricket Club’s were also targeted.

Chatteris chairman, Grant Osbourn, said they had left the site “in a mess”.

He explained: “Tuesday morning we arrived and saw the fence was down, then we heard that Needingworth and Warboys had been hit too.

“Various pieces of equipment had been taken including hand tools, but the tractor was the main loss for us.

“They had left the doors of the shed off and it was in a right mess.

“It’s difficult this time of year to find people to run the club as it is, we really don’t need something like this happening as well.

“We have contacted the police but have a feeling that the tractor will probably be in a container and off to somewhere else by now.”

The club say that they will now be raising money to replace the equipment.

In a post on Facebook, they state: “The cricket club was a victim of thieves last night (October 29) who smashed down our fence, broke into our shed and stole a tractor. “The same evening Needingworth CC were also targeted and lost an aerator.

“Our club is solely run by volunteers and funded by the generosity of local businesses and the kindness of our friends in the town.

“So please bear this in mind if we ask you to buy a raffle ticket or two over the coming months as we raise money to fortify ourselves and replace equipment.”

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson said: “We were contacted on October 30 with reports of a burglary at Chatteris Cricket Club in Wenny Road.

“Between 5pm on Monday (October 29) and 6am the following day a metal shutter was damaged on the club site and a tractor stolen.

“Scenes of crime officers have attended and an investigation is ongoing.”

Anyone with information regarding this incident should call police on 101 quoting 35/41229/18.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.