A cricket club in Co Down has confirmed a cross-community sports day was cancelled before any comment or statement from a local Orange Order lodge. North Down Cricket Club, based in Comber , had planned a sport summer camp for young people from different backgrounds, including the involvement of 10 different groups, one of which was the East Belfast GAA. It was due to take place on Friday. On Tuesday, the club announced the summer camp had been cancelled due to "some public comment that has been made on social media". Earlier that day, Goldsprings of Comber Orange lodge posted on their Facebook that a “number of residents in the Comber area have expressed significant concerns regarding the proposed or perceived move of the GAA into the local community”. The cricket club said following comment on social media, the “spirit of the camp was at risk of being lost” and it had decided not to proceed. The club said a "small group of children from a GAA club was just one part of that broader mix" of the summer scheme. In a new statement issued on Thursday afternoon, North Down Cricket Club said the event was cancelled on Monday morning "following concerns raised privately - and later publicly on social media". They added: "This decision was taken before any comment or statement from Goldsprings Lodge, and was not influenced by them. At no point did we suggest otherwise. We’re grateful to them for subsequently reaching out in a spirit of clarity and respectful communication." The club said they "believe strongly in respect, in openness, and in the idea that people can hold different views — even strong ones — and still move forward together". "We don’t believe that learning about another culture has to dilute your own. Quite the opposite — it’s a sign of strength to share what you have. In cricketing speak, to 'get on the front foot'. "There’s been a lot of noise around this issue, much of it from outside Comber. That may suit some agendas — but it’s not who we are. We’re just a cricket club, with deep roots in this town, doing our best to provide children with every chance to thrive — on and off the field. We’ll keep doing just that." In a social media post on Wednesday evening, Goldsprings of Comber said: "The concerns expressed by members of our community were neither manufactured nor malicious. They arose from genuine and widespread unease following the circulation of messages across local WhatsApp groups and informal community networks here in Comber. "These messages, regardless of their complete accuracy, prompted an important and sincere conversation. That conversation was not motivated by prejudice, but by a shared desire to safeguard the cultural balance, mutual respect and quiet dignity that defines our town. "When a child steps onto the green at North Down Cricket Club, into a boxing ring, onto a football pitch, they do so without needing to affirm or deny any political viewpoint. They are simply there to participate. Sadly, that cannot be said of the GAA given its constitutional requirements, symbolism and commemorative practices. "We wish to be absolutely clear - we support cross-community initiatives. We wholeheartedly believe in young people coming together, forging friendships and breaking down barriers. We welcome shared spaces. But such efforts must be founded upon genuine neutrality. "A more thoughtful and appropriate approach may have been to foster engagement through a neutral youth organisation based in a predominantly Republican area. This would have created the same opportunities for friendship and understanding, but without the political baggage that accompanies the GAA. "Sport should be a level playing field, not only in its rules, but in what it represents. That begins with neutrality, respect and the willingness to ask difficult questions when the standards for inclusivity are not met." For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter .