ARSONISTS today destroyed a bowls pavilion in the heart of an Ipswich park.Holywells Bowls Club members were left counting the cost after their pavilion was burned to the ground early today.

ARSONISTS today destroyed a bowls pavilion in the heart of an Ipswich park.

Holywells Bowls Club members were left counting the cost after their pavilion was burned to the ground early today.

"It looks as if someone got into the pavilion and started the fire inside – that's what the firefighters said today," said bowls club treasurer Eric Munnings.

"It's all gone up – we had a kitchen and toilets there and a lot of the members had their bowls and kit in the pavilion, that's all gone."

An initial investigation by fire officials confirmed that the fire was started deliberately – and the police were called in.