A CLACTON groundsman has hit out at thieves stole two buckets – his only equipment to clear a waterlogged pitch.

FC Clacton bosses recently heaped praise on groundsman Barry Leatherdale for his heroic recent efforts in making the pitch playable despite heavy rainfall.

Barry spent hours clearing the water using just two sponges and two old builder’s buckets to clear water from the playing surface.

But Barry arrived at the Rush Green Bowl ground last week to discover his buckets had been pinched.

He said: “Recently my life has revolved around my buckets and sponges with the amount of rain we have had.

“That’s all the equipment I’ve got to try to keep our pitch clear and keep games going ahead.

“It is quite funny in a way, but it is also very frustrating to me to say the least.

“It is sad that people have to do things like that and it puts our games in jeopardy.”

He has appealed for anyone with spare buckets, sponges, or other useful equipment to donate it to the club to boost his efforts.