Police looking for teenage girls as they probe Bridgnorth bench vandalism

Barber Kevern Jones, who runs Penny Lane Barbers at the top of Pound Street in High Town, Bridgnorth, had offered a £50 reward to find the vandals who smashed up the bench on Saturday.

Sharing a picture of the vandalised bench on Facebook at the weekend, he said: "Anyone who can give me information to the young teenage girls that just destroyed my bench outside Penny Lane Barbers at 8.15pm on Saturday."

Police now say they are investigating.

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "The bench was damaged on Saturday evening November 25 at approximately 8.15pm.

"Three, possibly four, teenage girls were seen through the property's window by the victim pulling and yanking at the bench which was attached to the wall. The females noticed they had been seen by the victim so ran in the direction of Whitburn Street shouting and screaming.

"They caused considerable damage to the bench which the owner is now trying to fix. He is also offering a reward on Facebook for any information of who the teenagers were."

The bench was placed outside the barbershop by Kevern and his partner Nadine Holland-Bailey as a place for people to rest after the climb up High Town.

Ms Holland-Bailey said her partner has now repaired the bench, but is still keen for anybody with information on who damaged it to come forward.

She said: "Kev has now repaired the bench and it is back outside house. He put it there for Penny Lane customers but it has become a bit of a community bench in recent times being well used by local people walking to and from town, it's a bit of a welcome halfway break for them."

Anybody with information about the damage is being urged to contact police by using please the online ‘Tell Us About’ form on: westmercia.police.uk or contact PCSO Mandy Leek at bridgnorth.snt@westmercia.police.uk