'WE will not give up' – that is the message from the Okement Rivers Improvement Group (ORIG) following another incident of vandalism in the centre of Okehampton, at the confluence of the East and West Okement Rivers.

At some point between Monday December 6 and Monday December 13, a statue of a deer was ripped from the ground along with its concrete base and thrown into the river. In the process, the deer's legs were broken, resulting in £500 of criminal damage.

The statue of a deer and its fawn — worth more than £2,000 — was placed at the recreation area early this year, along with picnic benches and a viewing platform.

In the summer, the ears were ripped off the deer statues, and in October the Times reported on an attempt to set fire to a picnic bench. Other benches have been marred by graffiti.

Neil Gilmore from ORIG described the act as 'mindless vandalism' but vowed the group would continue its work.

'This really is sad. You put these things out for people to enjoy, but sadly there seems to be a minority hell-bent on destroying them.

'It is very depressing, but we will not be beaten. We will leave this matter with the police, and hope that they are able to deal with the troublemakers and the lawbreakers.

'We will not give up, as that would disadvantage everyone in the town who enjoys this wonderful spot. If we give up, it will be seen as a victory for the vandals.'

The statue was paid for by a lottery grant designed to make the area more attractive and appealing for the local community.

Chairman of Devon County Council and Okehampton Town Councillor Christine Marsh, who formed ORIG during her period as mayor, said the damage would have to be repaired under the terms of the grant.

She said: 'This is a true act of vandalism: it must have taken significant effort to get the concrete base out of the ground.

'You have to ask yourselves, what is wrong with these people? They gained absolutely nothing from this crime.

'This is not the first time vandalism has occurred in this part of town. The police say they patrol the area, and I'm sure they have an idea who is to blame, but are they really addressing the issue? I don't think they are.

'They say their hands are tied by legislation, and they hide behind that excuse. People feel threatened and frightened in this area, and that is not right.'

PCSO Glennon Chatting-Walters from Okehampton's Neighbourhood Policing Team said police were not hiding behind excuses but did need the help of the public to detect crimes like this.

'There are constant patrols in the area around Lidl throughout the day and at night too. We carry out high visibility patrols, but also a lot of plain clothes patrols.

'A lot of policing goes unnoticed, and so just because you don't see a police officer doesn't mean we're not there. Having said that, the problem with this sort of case is that on patrol the chances of you stumbling across a crime actually being committed is fairly remote.

'Members of the public need to speak out and stand up to this behaviour, and the help of the public makes detecting crime far easier. We can then tackle this issue more quickly and effectively and ensure the work of brilliant groups like ORIG are there to be enjoyed by the whole community.'

Neil Gilmore said: 'As a group, we are considering observing the area ourselves, and will contact the police if we see any problems. We would encourage the public to do the same and not to turn a blind eye.'

Anybody with any information on the incident is urged to contact Okehampton Police on 08452 777 444, quoting crime reference JO/10/1002.