VANDALS who have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage at parks in Evesham and Pershore have been slammed by furious council chiefs.
Abbey Park in Evesham, the Memorial Garden in Abbey Park in Pershore along with Vines Park in Droitwich have been hit in a spate of attacks which Wychavon District Council believe took place over the weekend of August 18 and 19.
The popular Wych Barge in Droitwich’s Vines Park will now have to be removed following consistent, offensive graffiti and damage on and off since it’s installation in 2011. The structure has been left with holes after vandals reportedly kicked the wood panelling.
A litter bin and lifebuoy near to the toilets in Evesham’s Abbey Park were severely fire damaged. Nearby railings and retaining timbers will also need to be repainted or replaced as a result.
Meanwhile, benches and slabs in the Pershore Memorial Garden were covered in acrylic neon paint over the weekend and litter was found strewn across the floor.
Council bosses are asking residents to stay vigilant and to report any vandalism to the police at the time they see or hear anything happening. Often CCTV is thought to be the solution but this is not necessarily the case as wrong doers know how to hide their faces and so resist being identified.
Lynn Stevens, senior Parks and Greenspace Officer at Wychavon District Council, said: “It is extremely disappointing to see our lovely town parks have been the target of such extensive and consistent vandalism. Every time this happens it costs the public money, in this case thousands of pounds, which could be better spent on investing in the parks.
“We are so proud of our open spaces, parks and play areas and all we want is people to respect these public areas”.
Anyone with any information should call the police on 101.
