Skatepark vandals attack High School

Youngsters only began skating at the park at the end of last week yet within days the school had suffered vandalism which will run into thousands of pounds.

Early on Sunday afternoon the school caretaker reported youths standing at the top of one of the new ramps lobbing half-bricks towards the Rother Block and Senlac Building, both of which face the park.

Hundreds of children have used the park unsupervised since the ramps appeared last week despite the fact it is still largely a building site. The ramps were moved in before security and safety features like fences, lighting and CCTV were in place. Bricks were left lying around and the ramps were not bolted to the ground.

But the temptation proved too much for Bexhill's young skaters who have waited years for the park to finally come to fruition after a series of administrative setbacks. They have been using the new facilities from 5am until nightfall.

One concerned resident, who did not want to be named, said: "They've been completely unsupervised up there and they are out of sight which has led to bullying and misbehaviour.

"They shouldn't have put the ramps in without the fences and security features. It's like giving Yogi Bear a picnic basket and telling him not to eat it."

A spokesperson for the school said this week they were holding-off the big clean-up until insurance assessors could survey the damage. It was too early to say how much the damage would cost but the bill was likely to be huge. Several classrooms are covered in shards of glass.

Cash for the long-awaited 75,000 skatepark scheme was raised through Bexhill Young People's Service following a campaign by the Bexhill Skate Park Action Group. Rother District Council has been responsible for its construction.

Leader Graham Gubby was desperately disappointed. He said: "This is clearly a minority who are determined to throw our goodwill back in our face and spoil this wonderful facility for the many responsible bikers and boarders who I met at the park during several occasions over the weekend.

"I hope those who do want to use the facilities come forward and name these people so an example can be made of them.

"I truly believe 99 per cent of the youngsters using that park are good kids."

Cllr Gubby said he understood criticism that security fencing should have been in place before, but explained the council had been let down by a supplier.

"If people are intent to wreck they will wreck regardless, but this does not affect our determination to finish this scheme."

Council spokesman Alwyn Roebuck said: "The park should not have been used yet. However, when the ramps arrived last week the site was secured by the existing fencing but youngsters found their way in."

Mr Roebuck said the CCTV and lighting would be installed soon and will be monitored through Bexhill Leisure Centre.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bexhill Police on 0845 60 70 999.

p A further 1,000 worth of damage was caused to the two High School buildings overnight on Tuesday.

PC Steve Croft found a new four-inch bolt from the skatepark site embedded in one of the newly-smashed windows. Plastic cladding and peg-tile hangings were damaged when more half-bricks were thrown.

PC Croft believes the fresh damage was caused between 6pm on Tuesday and 7am on Wednesday. Tyre tracks were found within the skatepark compound. Ramps which have still to be bolted in place had been moved.