A BEREAVED family has been left devastated after a memorial stand commemorating a teenager who died in a car crash was subjected to vandalism and arson.

Police are investigating after the David Smithies stand on Marian Mawr, Dolgellau, was defaced sometime between 3 and 7 February.

Spent matches were strewn all over the place; attempts were made to set a wooden bench on fire, litter was left on the scene and the walls were graffitied with spray paint.

The stand was erected and named after David Smithies, a popular sportsperson in Dolgellau who lost his life in a road accident in 2006 at the age of 17.

Thousands of pounds have been raised in his memory – not least at the annual Dave Smithies Fun Day – and the family were “very proud” that the stand had been named in his honour.

David’s brother Greg was aghast at the damage.

“We’re gutted you know,” he told the Cambrian News. “[The stand] means a hell of a lot to us as a family, we’re so proud that the football club named it after David and this attack really hurt us.

“To be honest we’re disgusted that these people have shown such disrespect to Dave and the football club.

“Lot of dedicated volunteers work hard to provide these facilities to our town, and for these people to do this is so shameful.”

To read the full story, see today’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News