Angry Weymouth chalet users calling for vandals to be brought to justice after seafront attacks (From Thisisdorset)

Angry Weymouth chalet users calling for vandals to be brought to justice after seafront attacks

10:00am Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Latest By Laura Kitching

ANGRY chalet users in Weymouth are calling for vandals to be brought to justice after a spate of attacks on the seafront properties.

A trail of ‘mindless’ destruction at the weekend, left 15 beach chalets, a café, an apartment and a car with smashed windows in the resort.

The destruction occurred during the early hours of Sunday morning and encompassed chalets and a café in the Greenhill area, plus an apartment and car in Melcombe Avenue.

Sue Bray, chairman of the Weymouth chalet users community group, said: “It’s absolutely appalling.

“Three weeks ago the lead was taken off the chalets in the paddling pool area at Greenhill and now the windows of chalets along the seafront and top tier of the gardens have been smashed.

“It absolutely drives you mad.”

Mrs Bray was upset to come across the damage as she walked along the seafront yesterday morning.

She added: “I just can’t understand why they do it.

“It doesn’t look as though anything was taken, it’s just wanton violence.

“The borough council had just got the chalets spruced up for the Olympics and the next thing you know this has happened.”

Mrs Bray said the community group managed to stop troublemakers running across the tops of the chalet roofs by using anti-vandalism paint that leaves stains on clothing. She urged any witnesses to come forward and help the police catch the vandals and added: “This has got to stop.”

Greenhill gardener Derek Walker described the damage as ‘senseless’.

He said: “It takes such a little bit of time to do all this mindless damage but it causes such a lot of problems really. It costs a lot to put right and there’s the mess all over the place.”

Mr Walker said the gates to the disused balcony area above some beach chalets also had its lock smashed.

Seascape Café owner Raymond Brown said four of his windows were broken.

He said: “It’s the soulless world we live in now, with yobbos around.

“We found out early Sunday morning that somebody has smashed four windows at the front. All the chalets have got windows missing, there’s one where somebody tried to kick it in.

“We got away with a trouble-free summer.

“It’s a shame, but these things happen.”

Stephen Reeves, head of building and facilities for the borough council, said: “Our contractor has been to assess the damage today and is in the process of making the chalets safe and secure. We have lodged an insurance claim.”

Police In Witness Appeal

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “During the early hours of Sunday October 21, there were several incidents where criminal damage was caused in the Greenhill area of Weymouth.

“Fifteen beach chalets had windows damaged near Greenhill Gardens and tennis courts, windows were smashed at the front of one of the cafes, a window of an apartment was broken and a car window was damaged, while parked in Melcombe Avenue.”

The vandalism was reported to police by members of the public on Sunday morning.

Anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious is asked to ring Dorset Police on 101, quoting crime number 44273.