THE woman in charge of Lancaster's famous Williamson Park has blasted 'mindless' vandals who have been on a wrecking spree.

Over the last three months vandals and burglars have besieged the park - now Elaine Charlton wants to see the rampage end.

She has been general manager of the park for 17 years and says that vandalism has never really been a problem until recently.

"I just wish these people would think before they act," says Mrs Charlton. "It really is very disheartening.

"I do not know why anyone would want to do this sort of thing but it feels like we are being targeted at the moment.

"It's something I have not known in my 17 years here but over the last few months there has been a sustained regime of vandalism with windows being broken and doors damaged. We are suffering."

And she goes on: "We have even had people breaking into the Mini Beast House and trying to steal some of the animals.

"I do not know what sort of person would want to do that - unless it is for personal gain. And every time a window is broken or a door damaged it costs money to put it right."

Over the weekend vandals smashed a door and also broke a window in the butterfly house.

"I think people were trying to steal some of the insects or animals," adds Mrs Charlton.

"But they are in the best place - they have not been taken from the wild and would not survive if released."

The park is also a hotbed of juvenile drinking and police, as part of their 'Operation Leti', swooped on the park over the weekend, seizing alcohol from under-age drinkers.

"There is a problem with anti-social behaviour in Williamson Park," admits PC Andy Jackson, the area's community beat manager.

"But with operations like Leti we are aiming to clamp down. We are investigating the damage up there and would like anyone with information to come forward.

"We are in a situation now where we have the powers to hit people with fixed penalty notices once they are 16 - that is a course we are keen on."

o A 20-year-old Lancaster man has been bailed to appear before magistrates in January in connection with a burglary at the park last month. The arrest followed an appeal for information in the Citizen.