MEMBERS of Lionmede Bowls Club held a ‘Thank You’ day for everyone who helped them when thugs set fire to their club house.

The club lost all its equipment in the fire, which happened early last year in Springfield Road.

Club member Linda MacInnes said: “We lost our bowling mats, the pushers which gather the bowls up at the end of a game, wet weather mats, tables and chairs.

“But other local clubs including were very generous and gave us enough equipment for us to fulfil our league obligations and carry on playing.

"It was wonderful people rallied round and we are so grateful.”

The clubs who came to the aid of the Lionmede Bowls Club were Chelmsford BC, Danbury, Hall Street Methodists, Braintree, Hatfield Peverall, Hutton Poplars, Great Baddow, PML and Wickford. A team from each club played in the Thank You Day game with the winner being Hall Street Methodists and Lionmede wwere runners up.

A match was played with teams from each of the clubs who donated equipment, with Hall Street Methodists being crowned the winners and Lionmede runner ups.

A ‘thank you’ afternoon tea was also prepared by members of Lionmede and enjoyed by the 30 bowlers and spectators.

The club also thanked Chelmsford City Councilm who provided a portacabin to the club while their clubhouse was repaired, to MKM Supplies for the fitting, and Total Cleaning Supplies of Cromar Way, Chelmsford for donations.