Players at the football club whose pitch was damaged by a half-time incursion of two vehicles, including a hearse, have launched a public appeal for funding to meet repair costs.

The Just Giving crowdfunder hopes to raise £10,000 to renovate the badly churned pitch, plus damaged fencing surrounding the playing area and car park gates leading into UTS Dunston’s Wellington Road ground.

All were damaged in the public stunt staged at half-time of the Northern Premier League East club’s pre-season derby friendly fixture against neighbours Gateshead on Friday evening.

Shortly after the players left the field at half-time, with the score standing at 1-1, the hearse and a silver Subaru car were driven onto the pitch and spun around as leaflets were flung across the pitch.

Read more: Dunston UTS issues statement after friendly with Gateshead abandoned

Two masked figures were then seen to leave the hearse and get into the Subaru, which then left the playing surface and the UTS Stadium, as shocked members of a near 500-strong crowd looked on in bewilderment.

The match was subsequently abandoned and Northumbria Police has launched an inquiry into events which lasted only a couple of minutes at about 8.20pm on Friday.

Spectators present have been asked to assist the inquiry by submitting any smart phone footage of the incident.

UTS Dunston earlier issued a club statement in which it said while, “thankfully” no-one was hurt or injured, it was “deeply saddened” by the events of Friday night.

It was keen to stress that one of the individuals named on the leaflets flung from the cars involved in the pitch “invasion” has had no connection with the club, in any official capacity for more than two years.

The statement said the other individual mentioned has no connection with the club “whatsoever”.

Read more: What we know as car and hearse drive on pitch at Dunston v Gateshead

It added its apologies for any distress felt by supporters and visitors, particularly younger fans, and said it would work hard to repair perimeter fencing and the pitch.

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The Just Giving appeal, launched by Jack Camarda, said Dunston is a “family-orientated club”, and, “as players we are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred during the game”.

It went on: “As players of Dunston we want to support and raise money for the vital work on and around the pitch for our club that is now required, to be ready for our first home game, on August 12.”

Anyone supporting the appeal was thanked by the Dunston squad.

Within a short time of it being launched, on Saturday afternoon, the appeal to try to raise £10,000 had reached 677, with donations made by 45 supporters.