'Time to ban skateboard prom kids'

Rother coastal control officer Patrick Meyer, says he is so sick of the Colonnade area being vandalised - damage which he blames on children with skateboards - he is thinking of stopping them from skating altogether.

His comments came after a recent fire caused an estimated 500 worth of damage to the Colonnade.

Now the children he believes are responsible are being told to come forward or face the consequences. Skateboarders are often seen riding and performing tricks on the De La Warr Pavilion section of the promenade.

The fire caused staining to the white walls and cracked roof tiles.

Mr Meyer said: "It's definitely the kids on their skateboards and they are vandalising.

"What I want is for one of these kids to come forward to say they did it or take some responsibility, or I will ban skateboarding and cycling on the promenade, which I don't want to do because a lot of kids do it without problems."

"We've not done it before because we didn't have a problem with them, but now it's getting out of hand and people are complaining about it all the time.

"I'm not saying it's all of them and we don't mind them skating, but they are doing themselves no favours by damaging the areas they are skating in."