Buxted football club determined to turn ‘negative into positive’ after defibrillator vandalised

Two people caused damaged to a defibrillator at Buxted Football Club near Uckfield in the early hours of Sunday morning – read more here.

Police confirmed a 17-year-old boy had been arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and remains in custody for questioning.

The incident has received national attention, coming as it did just hours after the same equipment was used to save Danish footballer Christian Eriksen after he collapsed on the pitch mid-game.

Doctors said he suffered a cardiac arrest and by Sunday was reported to be stable and awake in hospital.

CCTV footage shared by the football club on social media has been viewed more than 30,000 times.

Mick Gosden, a volunteer at the club, said they had been inundated with messages from the community and media requests.

“It’s gone absolutely nuts,” he said.

The weekend had started in high spirits for the club, which held an end of season celebration on Saturday after winning the league, making them the Mid Sussex League Division One Champions.

Mick said: “It was brilliant, a fantastic day. Everyone was outside, it was lovely.”

However when he returned to help clear up in the morning, he was met with the damage to the defibrillator.

In a post on Facebook, he described the act as ‘sick, pointless and completely reckless’.

The defibrillator had been in place at the club for five years, and thankfully it had never been used, he said.