MEMBERS of a Fenland bowls club celebrated the opening of their new clubhouse on Saturday - 17 months after arsonists destroyed their former home.

A blaze ripped through March Town Bowls Club’s wooden pavilion in November 2009 as a spate of arson attacks devastated the town during a three-day spell. The wooden building, off The Causeway, suffered the most damage with the cellar, bar and social room being completely destroyed.

After nearly two years without a clubhouse opposing players and club members will now be able to enjoy a fantastic brick building with disabled facilities and wheelchair access.

Alan Cross, club president, said at the opening: “Our pavilion was vandalised and almost ruined beyond repair in 2009, leaving us with nowhere to entertain our visiting teams.

“We must thank March Town Cricket Club’s trustees, who again gave us their permission to have a new pavilion. I also sincerely thank the person responsible for this very fine building, that we have before us, and for his first class workmanship, and that is down to Mr Terry Hussey.”

Mr Cross thanked club secretary Bob Plater for his efforts during the project and also praised the wives of Mr Plater and Mr Hussey for their patience and support.

Mr Plater said: “It’s fantastic for the club and the town. We’re the only club in the county that can boast two greens and such superb facilities.

“We were absolutely distraught when the last pavilion got burned down but bowls got us through it. We feel like we’ve got our home back again.”

Mr Hussey thanked Mr Plater for making his job easier as main contractor and said he wished the club’s players have as much enjoyment using the clubhouse as he did building it.