Institute FC: Fire at Riverside Stadium treated as arson

Image caption, The Riverside Stadium in Drumahoe, the former home ground of Institute FC, has been unused since 2017

A fire at the Riverside Stadium in Drumahoe, the former home ground of Institute FC, is believed to have been started deliberately.

The Northern Ireland Fire Rescue (NIFRS) said two appliances from Crescent Link attended on Thursday.

"The cause of the fire is believed to have been deliberate ignition and the incident was dealt with by 10:27 BST," the NIFRS have said.

Police have appealed for witnesses in relation to the fire.

In a statement issued on Friday, Institute FC said they were "saddened to see further destruction at the Riverside Stadium" and urged anyone with information about the fire to contact the police.

"The club will continue to work on plans to deliver a new stadium in the Waterside which we hope will build on the legacy of the Riverside," the club said.

Institute FC had to leave the stadium in 2017 after severe flooding.

The floods on 22 August 2017 were the result of almost two-thirds of the north-west's average monthly rain falling in a single night.

Founded in 1905, Institute FC moved to the Riverside Stadium in 1980. The club entered then into a 25-year lease with Londonderry YMCA so they could play their home games at the site.

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Following severe flood damage, the club was told that it would be "very difficult to get flood insurance" for the stadium, which sits on the banks of the River Faughan.

The site then had an infestation of Japanese knotweed and has lay unused ever since.

After exhausting a series of options, the club hierarchy reluctantly approached the council to move for demolition.

The team, which plays in the NIFL Championship, now hosts home fixtures at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, best known as the home of Derry City.