A youth football club is in crisis after thieves stole all its goals.

The six metal goals were taken from the Hamsey Green Rangers' grounds in Warlingham last week despite being chained up and padlocked.

Jim Sherlock, the club's development officer, called on the thieves to give them back.

He said: “The cost of them is astronomical.

"You're looking at almost £4,000 to replace them.

"We just can't afford that, and even if we could, the season starts in two weeks and delivery would take four.”

The club has around 300 players in its ranks aged eight upwards and fields 23 teams in local football leagues.

But Mr Sherlock said without any goals its ability to take part was now under threat.

He said: “Effectively it means we can't play football. We'd have to play away all the time and all our matches would have to be reorganised.”

Mr Sherlock said the club had tried playing with plastic goals but the wind had blown them over.

He said: “It's probably 20 or 30 quid of scrap value and for that you've ruined the enjoyment of 300 kids.

"What are they going to do instead? Hang around a street corner?”

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