Another Kent non-league team have had their ground vandalised - with a swastika painted on the pitch this time.

Southern Counties East side Erith & Belvedere - who groundshare with Welling United at Park View Road - had their part of the stadium broken into last night just weeks after Lordswood’s Martyn Grove ground was also targetted by vandals.

Paint that was being used to decorate at the club was taken and used to mark the pitch with the offensive symbol and it’s that, rather than the cost of the damage, which director Paul Springett is more concerned about.

Mr Springett said: “I am not bothered about the vandalism, it is the message and the symbol and what it’s all about, it is not nice to see.

“The roller and the paint was there as part of our major renovation works, we left it out and never expected anyone to come in and steal it and certainly not do what they have done. It takes a bit of time to do that, it is quite something.”

Mr Sprngett is a former player, one of four who have taken over the running of the club recently and this is the first time they have encountered such a thing.

He said: “We lost a couple of benches which is going to cost us £20-£30 to replace, it is what it is, it is just the message. You try and move so far away from these sort of things happening and it is just disgusting really.

“We are meant to be playing an inter-team game there soon but I don’t want to until we can get rid of the swastika sign...'

“You do see some of these things happening in the news but when it happens to your club, or happens to you, it touches home a little bit more.

"We do so much on diversity at our club, we are big mental health champions, we try and help the NHS as much as we can, we have a multi-cultural team.

“We are meant to be playing an inter-team game there soon but I don’t want to until we can get rid of the swastika sign.

"It is not nice for players to see. We tweeted it to let people know that this kind of mindless stuff is going on. It seems to be a little bit more than just kids breaking in, that is the disturbing thing.

“Losing the money (to pay for the damage) is neither here or there, it is just that message, it is not very nice.”

The club believe that Welling United, who play in National League South, might have also suffered some damage to their dugout area.

There is CCTV footage that the club are set to share with the police.

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