Non-league club hit by second fire in three months

Sunderland RCA's advertising hoardings were set alight on Wednesday night, its chairman said [Sunderland RCA] A non-league football club which faced its second fire in three months has raised more than £1,600 so far to help recoup its losses. Sunderland RCA FC chairman Stephen Carter said the club's advertising hoardings, which had been in storage, had been set alight on Wednesday night at its grounds in Ryhope. "It's been a real pain," he said.

"Every penny counts at this level. " But Carter said the local community had "rallied" behind the club. "That's just typical of the people of this community," he said.

He said it followed the club's picnic tables being set ablaze in March. "It's just annoying and frustrating that mindless people can come in and do that to you," he said. A fundraiser set up for the club following the latest fire has already raised £1,685 so far.

"When there's adversity like this, [the local community] tend to group together and try and improve it," he said. Stephen Carter praised the local community for backing the club [Sunderland RCA] Carter said the money would be used to clear up the debris from the fire and to print new hoardings for when the season starts again in July. "Sponsorship is the lifeblood of the club...