SPL club's kit goes up in smoke

The Gretna kit caught fire in the boot of a car

Gretna FC have been left counting the cost after the first team's kit caught fire in the boot of a car.

Staff arriving at Raydale Park on Thursday morning noticed the smell of smoke coming from the vehicle where the players' strips had been stored.

The kit had been taken straight from a tumble dryer the night before and put in a sealed container inside the car.

The SPL side believes a build-up of static started the smouldering which ruined the strips, worth about £500.

Chief executive Graeme Muir said it was a mistake the club would not be repeating.

First season

"It was an interesting lesson to learn in how quickly a fire can happen," he said.

"You just don't think about putting clothes that came out of a tumble dryer into a container and the potential that static could do the damage it has done.

"Thankfully it was noticed at the time and we stopped it causing further problems for us."

Gretna are currently playing in their first season in the Scottish Premier League.

They are playing their home games in Motherwell as their Raydale Park ground is not up to SPL standard.

This weekend they have a "home" tie against their hosts, Motherwell.