VANDALS broke into a struggling football club’s ground and painted blue lines on the pitch in an act described by club bosses as “sabotage”.

The break-in was the third Harwich and Parkeston Football Club has suffered in the last ten months.

Burglars broke into the Royal Oak in Dovercourt on Monday night trashing the tea hut, painting lines on the pitch and stealing a strimmer.

Chairman of the club Tony Armstrong described it as “kick below the belt”.