POLICE are appealing for witnesses after an alleged racial incident in Callington over the weekend in which staff at an Indian restaurant were subjected to racial abuse and damage to property.

Glass on the front door and a window were smashed at the Balti King in New Road and two other business premises in the town were also targeted by vandals between February 19 and 21, causing thousands of pounds' worth of damage.

Police said staff at the restaurant were confronted by a group of youths at 11.45pm on Friday and were allegedly subjected to racial abuse.

The shop was closed at midnight and the following day when it was opened again at 12.45pm the front door and window were smashed.

Staff were subjected to further racial abuse on Saturday at 10.30pm, and on Sunday afternoon when the shop was opened up again there was further damage to the window.

Sgt Brett Philips said he was interested in speaking to anyone who may have seen a group of people in the vicinity of the bus stop at 12.45pm on Sunday.

But he added that at this time there was no evidence to suggest that the same people were responsible for the racial abuse and the damage.

He said: 'We are appealing for any witnesses or information to determine who these suspects are.

'We take these matters very seriously and we want to give assurance to the ethnic minority community that we are thoroughly investigating what happened at the weekend.'

Two laminated glass windows at a town estate agent were smashed at around 7.30pm on Thursday night (February 19) causing almost £1,000 worth of damage.

The following night (Friday) someone threw a brick at the Pengelly Canine Hydrotherapy Centre in Tavistock Road, damaging the door and the window which are now boarded up.

The centre's practice manager Kath West it was 'so disappointing': 'We don't usually suffer from this kind of thing around here but I think we must be going the same as everywhere else — it is such a shame.'

She said the most upsetting thing was the danger to animals a floor littered with glass would cause: 'We have vacuumed, swept and washed the floor and hope there is nothing left but it is a very dangerous thing to do.'

Anyone who has any information regarding these crimes should call police on 08452 777444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.