POLICE have launched an investigation after vandals destroyed part of a brick wall in north Bournemouth - just four hours after it had been rebuilt following an earlier attack.

As the Daily Echo reported on Saturday, the youths who did some of the initial damage had been tracked down by police and community support officers to help make the repairs as part of a community day of action last week.

The wall in Bradford Road adjoins Muscliff Park and it is thought that some youngsters have been using the car park to drink alcohol and take drugs away from public view.

Angry ward councillor Ron Whittaker said the latest damage happened around 9pm on Friday night.

"One of the neighbours heard a noise and the police were here very quickly, but they didn't catch them in the act," he said.

He said his stomach turned when he heard of the latest vandalism.

"For it to be done within four hours of our bricklayer leaving the site is devastating, especially when two full days had been put in to restore it.

"The four young lads who were here had apologised and made it clear they were sorry.

"They weren't wholly responsible because a lot of the damage had been done in the weeks or months before."

He added that the latest culprits were older youths.

"We intend to find out who they are. They need to be punished.

"They need to do community work to make them put something back into society."

Cllr Whittaker said the car park was not being used as such because residents feared their vehicles would also be vandalised.

The boundary walls have graffiti on them and adjacent trees are having to be felled because damage from deliberate fire-setting has made them unsafe.

Cllr Whittaker now believes the only long-term solution is to try and persuade the freehold owner, Taylor Wimpey, to build a small residential development on the site, with parking for the owners of the six adjacent flats.

  • Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police on 01202 222222.