A YOUTH shelter in Stourport that is being vandalised every day has cost £2,000 to repair over the last year.

Oakleaf Ground Services, who work on behalf of Wyre Forest Community Housing, is continually repairing the wooden shelter on Barnfield Road playing fields using tenants money.

Vandals have broken glass in the shelter, tried to tear up the seating and even attempted to remove the wooden roof of the shelter, which was put there for young people to have a place to meet.

Contracts manager for Oakleaf Grounds Services Claire Sawyer said: “They are breaking glass within the shelter, throwing bottles and breaking stone monuments.

“We’re spending so much time at the shelter. From a health and safety point of view, we can’t leave it like that. They’ve even tried to take the roof off. I’m not sure why, it’s wooden, it’s not metal. It’s pure vandalism.

“It’s really sad. It was put there to help the young people and they’re just vandalising it all the time. We feel very disappointed about it. We don’t know what to do next.

“We’re a not for profit organisation. Our tenants money gets put back into services.”

Chairman of the Walshes Community Hall Association Group Robert Lloyd was made aware of the vandalism last week during a walkabout organised by Wyre Forest Community Housing.

He said: “Kids have been taking chunks off posts and two or three panels of the youth shelter are broken.

“We’re trying to get somebody in that area to name and shame the people doing it. There’s houses all the way round over looking that field. Somebody must have seen somebody do it.

“I’m concerned. We’re putting things up for the benefit of the youth if they’re going to vandalise things and it keeps happening that shelter will disappear.”

One serious incident of vandalism was reported to West Mercia Police where youths had tried to set the shelter alight in April.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident reference 624-S-250413, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.