ALTHOUGH many see streakers as a light-hearted, if embarrassing, diversion from sporting events, this is rarely the view taken by the sports clubs themselves.

Pitch invasions, and those by streakers, are increasingly incurring the wrath of the sporting authorities, more and more of whom are imposing life bans for those who disrupt events like football or cricket matches.

Test match cricket in this country is regularly disrupted during hot summer days - up to a dozen streakers have attempted to get on the pitch after the beer has taken hold in mid-afternoon.

Parents have complained to clubs that they want to be able to take their children to sporting events without the risks of seeing naked adults cavorting on the pitch.

Burnley Football Club are one of those who are taking a firm stance over those who invade the pitch in an attempt to make the club a safe and enjoyable place for families to go.

Safety officer Alec Wood said: "When we are dealing with people who have committed offences either at Turf Moor or at away matches in relation to football and those people are convicted by the courts, then we will impose life bans. The chairman and the directors of the club are taking a very firm stance over this issue because we want to move away from the days when there was trouble at football matches.

"More and more women and familes are attending football matches and we want them to be able to come to games and have a safe and enjoyable day and to return and because of this we want to discourage people from coming onto the field of play.

"When somebody goes on to the pitch it is impossible to tell what they might do, be it attack a member of the club's staff or a player, or have more innocent motives, and that is why we uphold the law in imposing bans.

Anyone who enters the field of play is causing a safety issue and the bottom line is that Burnley Football Club want to make sure we get a family atmosphere and that people feel safe when they come here."

Burnley Football Club's match commander, Dave Shepherd, of Pennine Police, said: "Pitch encroachment is a criminal offence whether with clothes or without and it encourages other people to do the same thing.

"By removing their clothes people are also committing an offence of insulting behaviour and although some may find it humourous, a lot of people are offended by it."

Would-be streakers were warned they faced at least one night in jail after police feared they could ruin the Millenniun Open at the St Andrews golf course in Scotland.

A spokesman for Fife Constabulary warned that anyone apprehended stripping off would not just be thrown off the course after reports that a mystery "mischief-maker" was offering a £10,000 sum to anyone who streaks and manages to reach a fairway or even a green.

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