A CRICKET team fell foul of thieves as they took on a semi-final challenge.

Members representing the Ribblesdale League were playing the Lookers Inter-league Twenty20 at Blackpool Cricket Club when thieves targeted their dressing room.

Team members came back to discover six smartphones and £200 cash missing from their bags and pockets after playing against the Northern League at the Stanley Park club on Friday.

The thieves had also turned off all trackers which were in use on the phones within the hour. Players have been told police will be checking CCTV and investigating the incident.

Callum Clarke, one of the players said: “After the game, we came back in and the first thing I noticed was my phone wasn’t where I left it and I couldn’t find it.

“I asked one of the other lads to ring it, and they couldn’t find their phones either. It was something we just weren’t expecting to happen. “ The 26-year-old added: “The police were great with us and said they would check CCTV, but I don’t know that there’s much they can do.”

Player Stuart Maher added: “I wasn’t affected because I had left my things in the car and they had overlooked the cash in my pocket. They had gone for wallets in bags.

“However, it was a blow to the whole team. We had just lost the match as well, so it was a night that went from bad to worse.

“As well as the phones and the cash, one of the players lost a very expensive watch. The stolen phones will also cause a big inconvenience as some of the players are self-employed and use the phone for business.

“Some of the phones had trackers on, which were very quickly turned off. So we are not dealing with a novice, but someone who knows what they are doing.”

A spokesman from Lancashire Police they were investigating the incident.