A group of children have been forced to carry out voluntary work after causing damage to a town park's bowling green.

On Friday September 4, at around 6.30pm, four boys and one girl, who are all year seven pupils at schools in Colne vandalised the bowling green in Alkincoats Park.

The youths were later identified from CCTV in the area and on Monday a restorative justice conference was conducted at the park's Pavilion.

The conference involved police, Colne Town Council, a representative from the Bowling Club, a local councillor who works closely with the police and schools and has experience of restorative justice, and the youths along with their parents.

A spokesperson for Colne neighbourhood policing team said: "CCTV footage was shown to the parents who were genuinely shocked and disgusted by their offspring's behaviour and the children were given the opportunity to say why they had behaved in such a manner; a tough question which they all found hard to answer.

"Colne Town Council detailed the work that has recently happened in the area to improve the park and the subsequent cost, which is passed on via local council tax.

"Mr Wright, from the bowling club, explained how well used the greens had become, not just by local adult players, but by youth and adult teams from far and wide who now competed in tournaments and how some local groups also used the facilities by way of social interaction."

A decisive decision was made by all at the conference, and those who utilise the greens along with the Philip Wright Crown Green Bowling Academy, that the academy should benefit from several hours of voluntary service by the youths involved.

The voluntary service is being organised by both the academy and parents, and will take place over the next two weeks.

The spokesperson added: "Hopefully this will give the youths time to think about the consequences of their actions whilst carrying out some much needed work around the park, most of which is done by volunteers in the first instance.

"Thank you to all involved, but we'd rather not have to do this.

"We hope that this puts a message out that we will not tolerate this type of behaviour and we will act on it."