Drug users have forced a team of young footballers out of their own clubhouse.

South Down Rovers FC has banned its players, who age from eight to 16, from many parts of their own club after discovering needles, burnt foil and paraphernalia used for smoking cannabis scattered about the place.

Vandals had smashed a hole in the concrete wall to get into a storage room which had recently been built at the back of the changing room of the clubhouse in Leylands Park, Burgess Hill.

Dan Aires, club chairman, said the club had to remove all its windows and brick them up after repeated break-ins to the main building, including changing rooms.

"The enjoyment of the facility is being wrecked for youngsters. We have had to restrict where they go because we have found drug paraphernalia in the storage room.

"And we have been forced to use extra security measures.

"We have put up steel-plated doors, after vandals kicked the main front door down, and all the windows have been boarded up and are going to be filled in.

"We have also had to go through part of the season with a concrete block in the wall of the storage room to fill the hole."

Last month, the inside of the club was wrecked when vandals broke into the main building through the changing rooms.

They took milk and juice cartons stored for the 220 youngsters at the club and sprayed the drinks all over the walls and floor.

Mr Aires said: "The place still stinks of milk and it is very unpleasant.

"We are going to have to spend quite a lot of money to decorate and replace the floor quite soon.

"It's very inconvenient as we wouldn't normally attempt this kind of revamp until the end of the season."

On a separate occasion, football kit was stolen and equipment for games, including mini soccer goals, were damaged.

Mr Aires said people had also been sleeping in the storage room at night.

PC Rick Colley, a new beat officer in Burgess Hill, has launched a fresh crackdown to give crime at clubs in the area the red card.

He said patrols would be in regular contact with club owners and urged members of the public to report any trespassers.

He said: "The club has a rich 30-year history of providing sporting opportunities for young people.

"Residents in the area are requested to contact the police if they have any information on previous offences at the club or if they see any suspicious activity.

"Action will be taken against anyone trespassing or committing offences around the club buildings."

Mr Aires, one of 14 volunteers who help run two junior football teams in Burgess Hill, said: "The club is a place for kids to play football. Ironically, these people are just destroying a facility which is used to distract youngsters from crime and drugs."