NETHERTOWN Bowling Club have lost around £5,000 as vandals ransacked their clubhouse.

Thieves made off with alcohol valued at £2,500 in the robbery which also saw damage done to the Dunfermline club's front door, bar and cellar.

It's believed that they climbed through a small window before forcing open the main entrance to the building between 10.30pm on Friday and 9.30am on Saturday.

David McGregor, president of the Nethertown Broad Street club, said: "This is a hammer blow for the club.

"I was shocked when I heard the news and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the damage done.

"They've smashed through everything.

"Thankfully, they never accessed our trophy cabinet. The trophies could never be replaced.

"The investigation is now ongoing but it's a real blow for our members."

The vandals caused significant damage to various parts of the Nethertown Broad Street premises as well as seizing a large quantity of alcohol stored throughout the building.

George Rennie, treasurer, said it was too early to value the exact loss but he suggested that various drinks and bottles amounting to £2,500 were stolen.

He said: "It's a disaster for the club.

"We had just closed up on Friday night due to the coronavirus, and on Saturday morning we woke up to this. We've been hit with both barrels.

"Our stewardess found the front door forced open, basically hanging off, on Saturday.

"It must have taken these people all night to take all this alcohol from the building as we had restocked just recently.

"They smashed open doors and broke walls to gain access to all the drink.

"They even stole the charity box. It's bottom-of-the-barrel behaviour.

"It's going to take a long time for us to get back to where we were – hopefully we can.

"With the club having to close because of the coronavirus situation, this was the last thing we needed to face."

The break-in was discovered by bar stewardess France Graham.

She admitted that she was "still shaking" on Monday when recalling the discovery to the Press.

"I don't think you could publish what I think of the people who have done this," she said.

"It's a small club but these people don't care about that.

"When I saw the front door, I was fearful because I didn't know what had happened.

"I was quite scared to look in. It's still in my mind just now, I really didn't like being there.

"Their actions are despicable."

A police spokesperson said: "Police in Fife were called to a report of a break-in at Nethertown Bowling Club, Nethertown Broad Street, Dunfermline, during the weekend.

"The incident occurred between 10.30pm on Friday, March 20, and 9.30am on Saturday, March 21, and a quantity of alcohol was stolen.

"Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 1157 of March 21."