A Bristol mum-of-two has been jailed for stealing more than £56,000 from Whitehall Rugby Club, leaving it in financial ruin.

Louise Evans forged signatures and banked scores of cheques for herself as she plundered the club's accounts during her four years as honorary treasurer.

Yesterday, the 43-year-old was jailed for eight months at Bristol Crown Court after admitting stealing £56,638.27 and false accounting.

Whitehall committee members, dressed in club blazers and ties, were at court to see the woman who crippled their beloved club sentenced.

They said the sentence was "too lenient" and the club, which has about 100 senior and more than 60 junior members, had "not been the same since".

Chris Scott, club president of 24 years, said everyone was shocked to find out Evans, whose family have

been part of the club for years, was stealing.

He said: "We would have been bankrupt within a matter of days. Now we're just trying to get back on our feet.

"Members have suffered by having to pay extra for their pints after the game and orange juice for their children.

"It has put back our plans to extend the club and have floodlights by about 10 years."

Life member John Bailey, who has been at the club since 1960, said: "I trusted her implicitly, I really did. I was disgusted when we found out."

Dave Sheehan, who has been involved with the Whitehall club since 1963, said: "A lot of us senior people knew something was going on, but how do you point the finger at someone you trust and say 'you've been stealing'? She's put a lot of people under a great deal of stress and nearly cost some people their jobs."

One of those who felt the pressure was club steward and bar manager Jerry Pearcey. Before she admitted her crime, Evans attended a meeting where Mr Pearcey had wrongly come under suspicion for the thefts.

Jerry said: "We've never had anything like this happen in the history of the club and it hasn't been the same since."

The court heard Evans became unpaid treasurer and one of three club signatories in the summer of 2003.

Prosecuting, William Hunter said between January 5, 2004, and February 6, last year, 80 club cheques were paid into her account, 48 of which contained the forged signature of the club captain at the time, Richard Haycock. The rest were pre-signed blank cheques for expenses.

Investigations found 76 false entries in the accounts between December 31, 2003, and January 31 last year.

Senior members noticed irregularities with the bar takings and stock in January, 2008. They then discovered the £20,000 overdraft limit had been exceeded, despite thousands being saved for future developments at the Foundry Lane ground.

Evans, of King Street, Kingswood, handed over the accounts to the committee and later admitted the thefts.

She resigned in March and was arrested in July.

Passing sentence, Judge Michael Roach said: "You will have known stealing that sum would have devastating consequences. Not only have you devastated the club, you've devastated your own life."

Catherine Spedding, mitigating, said Evans got into deeper and deeper financial problems after the break up of her first marriage in the Nineties. She said the mum-of-two children, now 17 and 19, had succumbed to temptation but had intended to pay the first cheque back.

"Once she had started that ball rolling, she could not stop it. She has shown genuine remorse," said Miss Spedding.

The court heard £10,000 of the money had been paid back. A hearing later this year will determine how much more will have to be.