Thousands of pounds have been spent creating the willow play garden at Mixenden Children's Centre, on Sunny Bank Road.

For the past six months, vandals have targeted the outdoor area at the centre, but the latest incident was the last straw.

The den, made out of willow branches, was ripped apart and fencing torn down over the weekend.

Centre manager Tina Burke said: "They have ruined playtime for lots of children who loved it there.

"The really sad thing is that this vandalism is being done by other local children. They are ruining it for the whole community, possibly for their own brothers and sisters.

"It's disappointing and upsetting. We've spent a lot of money creating a play area which was exciting for the children and then this happens. It's a very sad state of affairs."

The den was installed at the beginning of last year. In the past few months, yobs have climbed over fencing, ripped the roofing off a wendy house, stolen security cameras and damaged plant pots.

A new security system has been installed and CCTV images are monitored at another location.

Inspector Derek Benn said they were aware of the problems: "We are working closely with staff at the centre to put an end to the vandalism. Sergeant Colin Skeath, who looks after the Mixenden and Illingworth areas, has spoken to staff and identified times when high-visibility patrols would be most effective.

"We rely on support from the local community and are keen to hear from anyone with infromation."

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Courier Comment - boredom is never an excuse