AN ACT of vandalism at a top Herefordshire sporting venue has stumped a groundsman poised to start preparatory work for the coming cricket season.

John Brown is saddened by the attack in which weedkiller appears to have been sprayed on a significant section of the cricket square and also on two rugby pitches at Luctonians Cricket and Rugby Club's Mortimer Park headquarters.

Brown is a voluntary groundsman at the Kingsland-based arena, which regularly stages Herefordshire Minor Counties matches, and he had hoped to start rolling the square within the next couple of weeks.

He may now be forced to delay that preparatory work because about 400 square yards of grass has been affected in the attack.

"This is the first time something like this has happened at Luctonians and we are all saddened by it," he said. "We would really like to know who has caused the damage and, perhaps more worryingly, the reasons behind such an act."