'Mindless' vandals attack Whitchurch park

Police presence has been increased and upgraded CCTV cameras will be brought in at Jubilee Park in Whitchurch to clamp down on the ongoing damage being caused to the area.

Councillors have described the repeated attacks as "disheartening". They have warned vandals to stay away from the park and promised to prosecute anyone caught in the act.

Councillor Terry O'Neill, chairman of Whitchurch Town Council's parks & open spaces committee, said: "It has been going on for six weeks now and it started when the toilets were broken into a couple of times.

"There was vandalism in there and then one night they broke the top of the fountain in the Harry Richards garden which has been there for years.

"That will be very difficult to repair. Then just a day or so later they ripped up one of the benches that was round the band stand so we cemented that back down.

"But they ripped it back up again so we had to remove that.

"It is really disheartening. We put our heart and soul into that park. It is just mindless and seems like a minority that want to ruin things for everyone else."

But Councillor O'Neill said the council will be taking steps to clamp down on the vandalism, which has seen plants pulled out and the toilets targeted a number of times.

He said: "We are upgrading the cameras in the park because at the moment we can get a picture but no recognition.

"So we will be upgrading them to allow facial recognition. Hopefully that will stop them. We have got a zero-tolerance policy in the town council – we will prosecute.

"So we are warning people now to stop. There will also be an increased police presence and they will be patrolling the area more often.

"It is such a shame that some people are determined to ruin the facilities that we have got. I really feel it is such a let down."

In 2010, thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused to the park while concerns were raised over youths drinking alcohol and intimidating residents.

The problems led to Whitchurch's local policing team carrying out patrols every weekend during the hours of darkness, when groups causing a nuisance had alcohol confiscated and were moved on.

Councillor O'Neill said he hoped the fresh problems would soon be resolved.

Anyone who would like to report vandalism can call police on 101 or report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.