A YOUTH shelter in Bere Alston which has suffered numerous acts of vandalism has been damaged beyond repair. Built in the village park as part of a £100,000 remodelling programme in 1996 and enjoyed by the majority of young residents, the shelter is now unlikely to be replaced. The damage was done sometime between 6.30pm on June 10 and 4.15am on June 11. Parish council chairman Michael Endean said the structure had cost too much in vandalism to be erected again: ?We have tried to help our young people and give them something they asked for which was a shelter and a basketball court,? he said. ?Unfortunately there are just a few kids who spoil it for the majority ? once everyone else has gone home after getting together and having a good time, they go in and destroy it.? Mr Endean said the parish council had tried all sorts of things to stop vandals attacking the roof of the building from altering the seating to installing wire netting and installing a ceiling. ?When they could not get to the roof from the outside, they starting attacking the underside and finally cut a trap in the ceiling,? added the chairman. ?As a council we have got pretty sick of it.? The council is still committed to supporting the youth of the village and says there may be a possibility of providing a drop-in centre in the old St John Ambulance hut, which could increase from once to three or four times a week if a group leader could be found. All that is left of the shelter ? the base ? may remain in place to stop vehicles driving over the basketball court or bollards may have to be installed. Mr Endean said the shelter, basketball court and skate ramp had been well used and so too had the sit-on wooden animals which had been provided for the younger children. ?When we remodelled the park, we put in picnic benches and tables as well but it has all been vandalised at some stage,? he said. ?One of the wooden animals was attacked with an axe.? The parish council chairman added that fortunately the village had a very pro-active police officer in PC Rick Hartigan but as yet there was no indication who was responsible for the latest attack. Anyone with information should contact PC Hartigan at Tavistock Police Station on 08705 777444 or the parish council on 01822 840748.
