SOCCER bosses in Selkirk have spent the weekend sobbing after robbers were arrested inside their clubrooms.

Cops were forced to unleash CS spray on thieves Daniel Hamilton and Fraser Dalgliesh after catching the pair inside the Yarrow Park pavilion during the early hours of Thursday morning.

Both 23-year-old Hamilton and 24-year-old Dalgliesh have since admitted the break-in. But the restraining gas used by the officers has lingered within the lounge area of the club.

And for the past three or four days officials have been left in floods of tears.

Selkirk's vice-chairman Ross Anderson told us: "You can't stay inside the clubrooms for any length of time otherwise your eyes start puffing up and you have tears streaming down your face.

"The spray must be lingering in the air. Everyone who has ben down has had to leave pretty quickly." Two officers on patrol had been alerted to a break-in at the neighbouring Cricket Club. And during their investigations heard the Yarrow Park alarm.

They followed Dalgliesh and Hamilton in through a narrow serving window before making the arrests.

Mr Anderson added: "The police did a fantastic job to catch these guys and we are indebted to them. We just hope this spray goes away before the next match - otherwise both teams could be crying." Up to 100 juniors as well as three senior teams play out of the Yarrow Park clubrooms.

Small crystals contained in tear gas can nestle into carpets and furnishings. And once they are disturbed can again cause irritation and burning sensations around the eyes and exposed skin.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "CS spray can hang around an enclosed space for a bit of time. It is important that windows and doors are opened widely to ventilate the area." Neither Selkirk's first team or Under 19s game went ahead at Yarrow Park on Saturday.