Members of a disabled sports club have been left “devastated” after a fire destroyed tens of thousands of pounds worth of specialist equipment.
Dumfries and Galloway Wheelchair Athletics Club’s container at the David Keswick Centre was badly damaged on Monday night after gym mats were set alight.
Now the club, founded by Russ Watson and his wheelchair racing world champion daughter Shelby, faces an uncertain future.
Shelby, 23, from Johnstonebridge said: “I really don’t think I’ve processed this.
“It’s absolutely devastating. We built this club from the ground up over many years. We’ve had to beg and borrow and fundraise for years and it’s all gone in a matter of minutes. It’s years of hard work. It’s heartbreaking.
“I can’t really comprehend this at all.”
The club, formed almost 10 years ago, provides disabled youngsters with the chance to take part in athletics.
High jump mats used on the athletics track were positioned around the club’s container before the fire was set.
Thousands of pounds worth of custom-made kit, spare parts, helmets and other equipment was inside the container with most of it destroyed.
Shelby, who has cerebral palsy, added: “Anyone with a disability or who knows someone with a disability knows the sheer expense of this stuff.
“I cannot believe someone could do this. I hope they realise what they have done, not just to me and my dad who built this club but to every athlete that has to pray their equipment wasn’t as badly damaged as the rest. I hope they realise that the equipment is not easily replaced.”
Shelby’s dad Russ, the head coach and chairman at the club, said: “Some of the equipment inside was actually bought by parents for their kids who come to the club and it’s stayed in there during lockdown. So we’ve had to phone around parents this week to tell them. It’s been devastating. Helmets, tyres, race runners, gloves they’re all gone.”
A police spokesperson said yesterday that a 15-year-old youth has been charged in relation to a fire and a report will be sent to the Youth Justice Co-ordinator in Dumfries.
A gofundme page set up to try and raise funds for new equipment has already collected more than £6,500. To donate to the gofundme page please visit https://gofund.me/9d98d713.
