POLICE believe a fire which tore through a sports pavilion in Dumbarton was started deliberately.

The Havoc Park pavilion will have to be demolished as a result of the blaze in the early hours of Friday – which will deal a huge blow to the community group which uses the building.

A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service told the Reporter: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was alerted at 3.09am on Friday, May 18 to reports of a sports pavilion on fire in Dumbarton.

“Operations control mobilised two fire engines and an aerial appliance to the scene, on Havoc Road. There were no casualties.

“Crews remained at the scene until the area was made safe.”

Thousands of pounds worth of equipment used by the Work Connect supported employment service for people with learning disabilities, including cameras, craft materials, gardening equipment and bikes, was destroyed.

Work Connect is now appealing to the public for help to minimise disruption to its members.

Councillor Marie McNair, chair of the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “This fire is a real setback for everyone who used the building and will have a huge impact on the activities provided by Work Connect and other groups which used the pavilion.

“I would encourage anyone who can help replenish the items lost in the fire to get in touch with the group directly.”

Depute Provost Karen Conaghan, who represents the area, said she was “sickened” to learn of the fire.

She added: “The loss of this community facility will be felt most especially by Work Connect and our service users with learning disabilities who have been using it as their work base. Thank goodness no one was injured as a result.”

West Dunbartonshire Greenspace are working to identify an alternative base for the group.

The building had been locked and secured and only travellers, who had been occupying a site within Havoc Playing Fields, were nearby at the time.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Clydebank CID via 101, quoting incident number 0341 of Friday, May 18.

People who would like to donate items to Work Connect to replace equipment lost in the fire should contact Georgina Reilly, senior employment support worker, on 01389 812070.