Vandals wielding golf clubs have hacked chunks out of a green at a city golf club, leaving members and staff angry and frustrated.

This is the fifth major incident at Tolladine Golf Club, on Tolladine Road, in the past 18 months and staff are calling on the police to pull out all the stops to catch the culprits.

The incident happened sometime between Saturday evening and the early hours of Sunday morning.

Rob Shaw, head greenkeeper, said: "One or two people took two golf clubs and hacked the eighth green to pieces. Because of the frost they have broken the clubs and they left them there. The police have taken them away for examination.

"One of the clubs is relatively expensive so it is likely to be someone who is a golfer or who has a member of their family who plays golf. It might be someone who has a grudge against us."

The expensive club is a Mizuno t/zoid iron while the other is a Masters driver.

Mr Shaw said the club had been subject to vandalism and theft for years but this was a particularly malicious attack which would leave the green out of action for six weeks.

"This one has been particularly bad and we need to do something about it."

Andy George, greens chairman and club vice-captain, said: "We are a community golf club with about 120 members aged from about 12 to over 70. The members have paid their fees and they are very frustrated if part of the club is not available.

"Our message to people is 'Don't vandalise the club, come and join us'."

Peter Tredwell, secretary at Worcester Golf and Country Club, Bransford Road, St John's, said it also suffers from vandalism - particularly in the summer months when children were off school.

"Last September, someone drove a stolen scooter into a bunker and set fire to it. We also had a green dug up very badly last summer. The disruption is immense. It tends to be kids who are bored with nothing to do and decide to attack our greens."

Worcester police are appealing for witnesses who were at or near Tolladine Golf Club over the weekend and who saw any suspicious activity to come forward and help them find those responsible.

Anyone with information can call the police on 08457 444888 quoting incident number 182S/290106 or alternatively can phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.