Councillors in West Craven have condemned “reckless” vandals after a wall was damaged again just weeks after an expensive repair.
West Craven County Coun. Keith Bailey and Coun. Rosemary Carroll were left dismayed by the actions after three lengths of wall between Earby and Sough were damaged in the early hours of Thursday, July 26th.
According to highway officials at Lancashire County Council, the wall could cost over £3,000 to repair, and that comes only a matter of weeks after £1,000 was spent on repairs.
The sections of wall were pushed over into the neighbouring field and five youths, all between the ages of 12 and 15, were arrested at the scene at around 3am last Thursday and have been bailed by police pending further enquiries.
Police are also linking the youths to three other criminal damage cases which are believed to have occurred overnight between last Wednesday and Thursday, one of which where a wing mirror on a car was smashed on Longroyd Road in Earby with a metal bar.
Police are also keen to trace two other suspects who are believed to have been camping in a field with the other youths, and are appealing for information.
Coun. Bailey, said: “It’s beyond belief that people in society set out to purposefully destruct things. I don’t know what fun they get out of it.
“It looks a real mess, and will cost a lot of money to put right. It is not fair that honest taxpayers should have to foot the bill.”
Coun. Bailey is pushing for the police to take action and thinks it will have taken some force to damage the wall because the top stones were quite big and cemented together.
He added: “I for one will be pushing the police to press charges, and to make these mindless criminals pay. It is time that people realised they must take responsibility for their actions and they should be punished accordingly.”