CINDERFORD St John’s Cricket Club find themselves on a sticky wicket after feral wild boar damaged their pitch and may cost them £20,000 to put right.

The wild boar got onto the pitch off Whimsey Road and turned up the outfield in front of the changing rooms.

With St John’s first match in May, Club Captain Mark Roberts hopes the damage can be put right in time.

He said: “The damage they’ve done is terrible. We think they’ve got in by following the brook and coming up the water ditch and getting past the fence.

“It’s a real mess. The far end is really bad they’ve damaged the outfield and in front of the changing rooms.

“If we had 30 people all up at the club on a Sunday we still wouldn’t get the repair done in one day.

“We will have to put stakes down in to stop them getting through from the brook.”

It’s not the first time boar have wreaked havoc on their ground. In 2013 the feral pigs damaged an area covering from the boundary to the wicket.

“It will cost us around £20,000 altogether to get it sorted and prevent them from getting back in again.” added Mr Roberts.

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