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Police appeal for information after skate park vandalism
RESIDENTS in Coningsby are appalled after vandals have damaged the skate park on the Allan Barker Recreational Park.
Despite the £55,000 park not yet being officially opened a quarter-ton re-enforced concrete bench, one of three recently bought, was placed at the top of one of the ramps and left there.
A second bench was completely destroyed and smashed.
Councillors arrived to collect the debris which was too dangerous to leave lying around, and it took five councillors to lower the bench off the top of the ramp.
It is though the damage was caused in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The council had bought the three special tables and benches, with extended seats suitable to accommodate wheelchairs, costing £3,000.
Graffiti has also been spray-painted onto the ramps of the skate park, despite warnings that any paint will damage the specially smoothed surface of the park area.
Councillors were shocked at the damage and the vindictive force which must have been applied.
They were also appalled at the litter lying around, even though there were empty and half empty litter bins.
Coningsby Mayor Martin Foster said: “After months of hard work by the council to raise funding to provide a skatepark for young people in the area it has been a shock to all of us that such mindless damage has been caused already.
“As a council we want to support youngsters with the provision of areas that they can use to develop sporting skills, but if this level of crime continues we may have cause to think again.
“The movement and breaking of benches and spraying of graffiti costs us time and money to repair.
This time could equally be used for other projects in the local community.”
Lincolnshire Police Operations Communication Officer Nerys McGarry said: “It is always disappointing when mindless damage is caused to equipment such as this.
“It has been put there for the benefit of the community and in these times of financial difficulty, it may not always be possible for equipment to be repaired or replaced.”
Lincs Police are appealing for anyone with information to call 101 quoting incident number 152 of Sunday September 9.
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Weather for Horncastle
Tuesday 21 May 2013
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Temperature: 8 C to 15 C
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