AN elderly couple have fallen victim to a ten-year vandalism campaign which has caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to their home.

Kathleen and Jim Hindley, of Heys Lane, Darwen, have had to fork out their pension money to repair walls and garden gates damaged by teenage vandals.

Kathleen, 69, said: "We've just had enough. We painted the wall on the side of the house earlier on in the week because kids kept scrawling on it.

"We painted it black and now they are scraping keys and coins along it. It cost us £150 to paint and now it's ruined." Stones are thrown at the couple's windows on a regular basis and they will also have to pay £40 for a new backyard door which was kicked down last year.

She said: "They try to get in over the back wall and this has been going on ever since we moved here, 11 years ago.

"We daren't go out of the house in case someone tries to break in and they're making our lives a misery.

"When we try to ask them to stop they just laugh and run away and there's nothing anyone can do to stop them.

"I've called the police but by the time they get here, the vandals have gone."

Heather Thompson, neighbourhood watch co-ordinator for the Heys Lane area, said: "It's absolutely terrible for them because they are the only ones on the street who have any problems.

"They've just given up and they don't want to fight it any more. They are being targeted because they are an elderly couple and it's just not on."

Coun Dave Smith, Sunnyhurst ward, said: "There are ways around these problems.

"One such way is for the community to club together and buy CCTV for the area.

"Mrs Hindley should report any instances of vandalism to the police."

Sgt Gary Moore of Darwen Police said: "We haven't heard anything recently from Mrs Hindley but we would urge her to keep in contact with us because there are things we can do.

"We can step up patrols in the area and if they are known to target the home at a specific time, we can carry out observations as a means of catching whoever is responsible.

"The installation of CCTV cameras is also an option."