Feltham Rugby Club are appealing for help as they attempt to come back stronger from a run of bad luck off the field, which is in contrast to the good season their first XV is enjoying in the Middlesex Merit Tables.

Feltham run two regular XVs and an occasional veterans' team, but their happy existence at Hanworth Air Park, a couple of miles down the road from Twickenham Stadium, has been disrupted twice in recent months.

In August the changing rooms they rented from Hounslow Council were gutted by fire after they were ram-raided by joyriders and set alight.

Having borrowed a portable changing room, Feltham then had their clubhouse attacked by arsonists, who set a fire in the kitchen that damaged fixtures, fittings and club memorabilia.

"We are appealing from help from anyone locally who would like to support the club, whether financially or by donating replacement memorabilia such as plaques and ties," said Frank Parslow, Feltham RFC president.

"The clubhouse has been our home for more than 30 years, and in our previous guise as Old Twickenhamians we go back to the 1940s.

"We believe the structure of the clubhouse is sound but there is heat and smoke damage, and we are still working through to see how much can be salvaged.

"It destroyed a lot of stuff including old photos and those are history and memories we will never get back."

The insurance claim on Feltham's clubhouse is progressing and Parslow expects the various renovations to take around six months.

He said: "There is no power in the building because there was damage to the wiring, so the Royal Naval Club around the corner have kindly allowed us to use their bar and kitchen.

"And Hanworth Villa Football Club are kindly loaning us use of showers while we wait for electricity to be supplied to our temporary changing rooms.

"The worry is that we might lose some players when, rugby-wise, we are actually having a good season, with the firsts second in their division.

"We're slowly sorting ourselves out and we'll come out the other side and be stronger for it.

"Any help our fellow clubs or rugby supporters can offer will be gratefully accepted."