RACIST vandals planted lethal razor-sharp blades around a football pitch in a deliberate attempt to maim players.

The hooligans also stuck blades at head height in the dug-out at Nelson FC's Victory Park ground and scattered nails, screws and glass across the pitch.

The gruesome discovery, which followed a series of attacks by vandals who sprayed racist graffiti at the ground, was made as club officials made a routine pitch inspection for today's game against Ashton Town in the North West Counties League's Division Two.

The match has been called off and the club said the lost revenue and the cost of clearing up after the vandal attacks could add up to £800. Chairman Ken Broom branded the louts "sick in the mind" and said: "I just can't believe anyone would do this kind of thing. Whoever did it is crazy.

"The blades were deliberately set to maim and cause serious injury. If someone went in for a sliding tackle and went onto one of the blades they could be disembowelled. Someone could have cut an artery and bled to death on the pitch.

"Fortunately we are fussy and we always inspect the pitch otherwise they might not have been discovered."

Club officials spent yesterday scouring the pitch inch by inch to make sure they discovered all the potentially deadly blades. Over the past ten days the club has been subjected to a concerted attack by vandals who have tried to break into buildings three times and who have daubed racist graffiti aimed at the white community around the ground. Empty gas canisters and cider bottles have also been found abandoned in the ground.

Mr Broom added: "We had problems recently with gangs of Asian lads coming to the matches, asking how much it was to get in and then saying they wouldn't pay but still wanting to get in.

"We've spent thousands of pounds on improving the ground. This just makes you wonder whether it's been worthwhile."

The matter has been reported to the police.

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