An accredited Wiltshire metal detectorist club has hit out at the vandals who are believed to have damaged Lacock Cricket Club.

The club’s pitch has been repeatedly dug up overnight, with police blaming treasure hunters with metal detectors, but Trowbridge and District Metal Detecting Club insisted this behaviour is not supported by its members.

Club chairman David Rees said: “These people are not metal detectorists, they are thieves who use a metal detector in the process of crime. Most responsible metal detectorists will belong to a club, and work under a strict code of conduct.

“All our members are affiliated to the National Council of Metal Detectorists and will carry a membership card as ID. We abide by their code and do not detect on private property.

“We have a lot of programmes on the television nowadays which are good entertainment, but glamorise using a metal detector to people watching, who go and think they can dig wherever they want to.

“We need to get across to people that that is not the case, and if you do go digging without permission you are breaking the law.

“All our finds are recorded whenever it comes to items of monetary value. One member has recently found a rare Viking gold ring, which has been reported under the Treasure Act.”

The club’s 50 members cover areas across the county, and meet each month at Trowbridge’s Fieldways Hotel. Visit www.trowbridgemdc.co.uk