THIEVES broke-into Portishead Football Club and stole more than �1,500, devastating members’ efforts to raise funds for new changing rooms.

Police believe the burglary took place late on Saturday night or in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Intruders forced the door, smashing their way into the Bristol Road clubhouse, vandalising the alarm system and damaging a fruit machine before making off with its takings, along with the club safe and its contents.

Club treasurer Karen Excell said: “Everyone at the club is furious, volunteers put a lot of effort into running the club for the community and raise funds to improve the facilities.

“When something like this happens, it’s like a kick in the teeth.”

This is not the first time the club has been broken in to.

Thieves made off with �10,000 which had been raised for Children’s Hospice South West when they broke in to the club in 2006 after a family fun fundraising day.

Vandals also caused thousands of pounds worth of damage when they broke in to the physio room on the site in 2009 and started a fire.

On Saturday night, many club members had been involved in a charity event at the town’s Somerset Hall to raise money for Help for Heroes.

Ms Excell added: “This is reminiscent of 2006 and it makes you wonder if the thieves thought the charity money for Help for Heroes would be in the safe, which thankfully it wasn’t.”

Police investigating the incident are appealing to anyone who saw anything suspicious near the club around the time of the break in to contact them on the new number 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.