A BOWLS club ravaged by flames has been brought back from the brink by a generous donor.
MKM Building Supplies, of Montrose Road, has donated £500 in plumbing for a new demountable clubhouse at Lionmede Bowls Club in Springfield Road.
The temporary building – along with 14 ball pushers, 14 mats and six marker boards donated by other clubs – ensured Lionmede could continue playing.
At about 10pm on March 12, arsonists torched the clubhouse, destroying its store cupboard, kitchen and roof.
MKM branch director Allan Davis said: "When we read the news of the fire in the Chronicle we sympathised.
"How somebody can do that I don't know. The club has been there for a number of years and whoever has gone out and done this, it's disgusting."
After contacting the paper, Mr Davis and his team liaised with Chelmsford City Council, which owns the clubhouse, and members to find out what they could do to help save Lionmede's season.
"We volunteered because it's basically the MKM ethos," said Mr Davis, of Heycroft Way, Great Baddow. "We're a local merchant that loves to help the local community, serve the local community and employ locally, so anything like this we jump on.
"It's been very pleasant working with everyone to get the materials in the demountable, which was provided by the council."
Chairman Maurice Lauder, 88, of Springfield Park Avenue, was fighting back tears when he rushed to find the clubhouse, including vital bowls equipment, alight.
"After we were devastated by such villainy, the way the public has volunteered equipment is really heart-warming," he said.
"While there is a lot of villainy out there, there are also a lot of damned nice people too.
"Due to the generosity of the whole community I was pretty much overwhelmed.
"We are very grateful to MKM and, yes, I believe they have saved our season.
"The materials are essential because we have got to have somewhere we can make people drinks, if possible somewhere to wash cups and saucers, and a loo, which is essential as well if you have 20 or 30 people playing at one time."
Council parks and heritage services manager Paul van Damme said extensive planning was under way to unveil a new clubhouse by spring 2015.
He added: "We are very grateful to MKM Construction for their help in assisting us to get Lionmede Bowls Club back on their feet after the recent fire."
Anyone with information regarding the cause of the fire should contact police on 101.
