A community has been left in shock after a much-loved North East football team's ground after an alleged arson attack early this morning.

Trevor Wing, chief executive of Thornaby Football Club, said he received a call from Cleveland Police at 4:30am today (June 26) asking him to come down to Teesdale Park, the club's home ground, after a fire had broken out.

He said they told him there had been an incident at the ground and cabins were on fire inside.

Mr Wing, who volunteers at the club alongside the rest of its staff, told the Echo he could not believe the "devastation" he saw after rushing to the site of the blaze.

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He said: "I came straight down and couldn't believe what I saw. Just devastation, [the] whole of one side of the clubhouse was all burned down.

"My office [was] in there, the Porta-cabin where we had all the tools was devastated, the tractor was all burnt, the garden equipment, all the hedge trimmers and everything else, burned and gone.

"It's just heartbreaking considering all the years we've put in. We're just all devastated here.

"It's just a kick in the teeth when you've been here this many years and you volunteer to do it, we all put our hand in our pocket every single week, they come and do this.

"They're not going to beat us, we're not going to let them. A bit like the phoenix, we rise from the ashes."

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He said the new beer garden, which had been constructed to help raise money for the club over the summer, had also burned down.

He added that the disabled area, built by the Boro Walkers Association, was also destroyed in the fire.

Drone footage of the area showed the "horrific" damage done to the club's stand and other parts of the ground.

Mr Wing estimated the damage will roughly cost £113,000 to £120,000 if they were to replace what was consumed in the fire.

Adding to this, he said the equipment and buildings lost had accumulated over the years, including a Porta-cabin which had been donated to the club.

He said the number of people who offered their support to the club was "unbelievable."

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Peter Scott of Scott Bros, who have been a sponsor of the club for many years, has said the business will provide a skip and clearing services to the club free of charge.

Additionally, he said the club are repairing the clubhouse roof, where most of the damage on this structure took place, and hope to reopen it on Saturday.

Residents reacted to pictures of the scene. which showed extensive damage to the stand and club house, with anger and shock.

One resident said: "Devastated, I know personally how much work has been put in by all the amazing people at the club to make it the special club it is and one that I am massively proud to support."

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One resident who lives close to the ground said they were "shocked" to hear about the damage and hoped the perpetrators were brought to justice.

Another appalled resident said: "It’s absolutely disgusting how anyone can do this to a local club which is here for the community to enjoy.

"I’m sure if the club sets up a Go Fund Me page, the people of Thornaby will all help."

The club have a friendly game scheduled against Darlington United for Saturday and hope to be open for the weekend.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: "Emergency Services were called to a fire at Thornaby Football Club’s main stand in the early hours of this morning which, following assessment by Cleveland Fire Brigade, was considered to be malicious.

"Cleveland Police officers are now investigating this as arson.

"Anyone with information can call Police on 101, or provide information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

A spokesperson for Cleveland Fire Brigade said: "We were called to an incident on Monday, June 26 at 03.36 at Thornaby Football Club on Acklam Road in Thornaby.

"Four fire engines in attendance from Middlesbrough, Stockton and Thornaby.

"There was 100% damage to the seating area and slight damage to the guttering and exterior wall of the clubhouse.

"Four Breathing Apparatus (BA) and two Jets were used to extinguish the fire.  We got the stop message at around 6.31. The cause of the fire is deliberate"