A bowls club celebrating its centenary has been forced to leave its home green because of vandals.

It should have been a year for parties and merriment at Kemp Town Bowls Club in Brighton as members honoured its 100-year history.

But instead players are struggling with the logistics of moving to a new green because their current lawns at Queen's Park have been repeatedly wrecked by vandals.

The club originally played on a green in Madeira Drive but moved to Queen's Park 60 years ago in the aftermath of the Second World War.

President Bill Trill, who has been a member for 14 years, said: "We have people playing football and golf on the green and even riding bikes over it.

"There's the rest of the park for that sort of thing. It means when we play, the bowls don't move in the way we expect them to. That's fundamental to the game."

Mr Trill said the club, which has 25 members in the men's team and 11 in the ladies', agreed not to return to Queen's Park at its pre-season meeting in April because the lawns were in such bad condition.

The club now meets at Hove and Kingsway Bowling Club just past the King Alfred Centre.

Mr Trill, 72, said: "It's a shame because we have lost the identity of the club at Queen's Park.

"We had so many happy years there but it looks like this move is permanent.

"People know what they are doing when they use the green.

"It's not an innocent mistake."

Brenda Jewell is the secretary of Queen's Park Tennis Club.

Her father, Reg Povey, helped resurrect the bowls club there in 1946. She said: "Hove is a long way for people to travel, particularly if they don't have a car.

"It's particularly sad this has happened in the club's centenary year.

"It should have been such a happy achievement and instead they've been forced out of their home."

Members of the bowls club currently pay £90 each to Brighton and Hove City Council to use any of the greens in the city.

A city council spokeswoman said: "We have worked with the club to relocate their fixtures to Kingsway and are reducing their fees.

"Also, we are continuing to maintain Queen's Park bowling green so the club can still use it for practice sessions."