Bowlers who were set to celebrate the completion of a £100,000 refurbishment project now face a fresh battle to raise cash after an attack by vandals.

Members of Woodingdean Bowling Club, which is celebrating its 30th year, said the damage would cost thousands of pounds to fix.

Committee member Lionel Bennett, the club's only surviving founder member, said: "It's appalling. The members are getting so dejected, especially after all the work that has gone into raising money for the improvements over the last ten years.

"These thugs have pulled down brick walls on to the rose bushes and biked over the bowling green. It's going to cost a few thousand pounds to repair as and when we have the money."

The club has been financed solely by members' fees and fund-raising since they took it over from the local authority in the Eighties. Members are constantly finding ways to raise money.

Mr Bennett added: "We have all put money in and to see this happen because of some thoughtless thugs is making us feel so dejected.

"Over the last ten years we have raised £100,000 to build a marvellous new kitchen and a patio so people can sit and watch the bowling, and there are various other new facilities.

"The whole object of the club is to keep the community together but mindless vandals are trying to destroy that.

"It's just so disheartening when something like this happens."

It is not the first time the club has been targeted.

In January pipes were ripped off the outside walls and members had to shell out to have wire cages fitted to protect them.

Councillor Geoff Wells said: "It's a sad old sight down there this morning.

"Vandalism has been a problem since the skate park was built near the bowling green about five years ago.

"Although there was a need for a skateboard ramp, we always said it was in the wrong place and it should have been put in Bexhill Park. It has been a bone of contention ever since.

"It's nice to see it being used during the day but it's at night that the trouble starts. I get so many calls from local residents about the noise and the litter.

"Needles and broken bottles have been found on the playground and people who live nearby constantly have litter thrown in their garden."

One local resident who did not wish to be named, said: "It's horrendous and you never see a policeman round here. People come to visit us in the evening and there is this racket in the background all the time.

"There are always bottles and footballs and tennis balls in our garden."

A council spokesman said: "We are aware of the problem at Central Park.

"We did take steps to prevent vandalism by fencing off the bowling green but unfortunately people are still breaking in. It's really a matter for the police."

Mr Bennett said the committee was so disillusioned by the latest vandal attack that its annual plant sale had been cancelled.

Report by Virginia Bridgewater