Bishop’s Castle Mayor has put out a plea to help the vandals who cut down a kids’ swing, hurled broken glass around a toddlers’ play area and destroyed a sculpture on the playing fields.
Last month, Bishop’s Castle Playing Fields were targeted by heartless vandals.
They damaged the gates, pulled up the posts of a spiral sculpture, cut the cables on a children’s swing and chucked bottles and cans around the toddler’s play area.
The damage has now been repaired, and local Community Support Officers(CSO) are keeping an eye on the playing fields area.
Now town mayor Councillor Jim Gaffney, has spoken to the Journal about the damage and the way to stop this kind of vandalism in Bishop’s Castle.
“We were really fed up about it. The playing fields has only had all its new stuff for a couple of years and it’s frustrating when one or two people cause that much temporary damage that the little kids can’t use it.
“It was very frustrating. However since then I’ve had quite a few conversations with young people and neighbours of the playing fields and it’s obvious that the damage was caused by only a few.”
The Mayor believes that better youth provision in the town could stop young teenagers getting into trouble.
He also feels that when towns had youth clubs, the local youth workers knew who were the potential trouble makers and could work with them before they drifted into crime.
“The CSOs and the police do their best but they haven’t got time to be youth workers.
“We are forever looking for funding for youth services, especially targeting 12-15 year olds. That’s when they start this kind of stuff and start being a pain.
“If you don’t spend money on young teenagers then you are going to cause your problems.”