CASH that could have been spent on another play area in Christchurch Park has been ploughed into repairs following vandalism, it was revealed today.More than £6000 of damage was caused when yobs vandalised equipment and destroyed sections of the park throughout the latter part of June and July.

CASH that could have been spent on another play area in Christchurch Park has been ploughed into repairs following vandalism, it was revealed today.

More than £6000 of damage was caused when yobs vandalised equipment and destroyed sections of the park throughout the latter part of June and July.

Extensive damage was caused to the children's play area, the bowling green, fencing panels and construction equipment.

Fortunately there have not been anymore incidents of vandalism since the recent spate, though night patrols and extra security measures are still in place.

David Horne, head gardener at the park, believes the bad weather throughout August has put a stop to the vandalism.

He said: “Hopefully the incidents were spasmodic and the people who did this have gone away. I think they stopped coming to cause trouble because of all the rain we had.

“All the repairs have now been made. The money came from the park's development fund, which would have been used for another play area, so that is a shame.

“Every night there are still patrols ongoing just in case. They are set to continue for a while-definitely until the clocks change anyway.”

The multi-activity unit, known as the galley, was smashed up and it took two weeks to replace it, as replacement parts had to be ordered from Finland.

Within days of a large section of the bowling green being dug up, vandals struck again. They also broken a window of an on-site digger and damaged fencing panels.

There is still a lot of construction equipment in the park while general improvement work takes place, and this is expected to be completed by January.

Were you affected by vandalism at Christchurch Park? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.