FELIXSTOWE FERRY: Staff at a popular caf� are today counting the cost after rampaging vandals – thought to be armed with a pellet gun – smashed ten windows.

Suzanne Bloomfield and her team arrived at the picturesque Ferry Caf� in Old Felixstowe on Sunday morning to a scene of destruction.

The cost of the damage is expected to run into thousands of pounds.

“To come in and find that devastation is soul-destroying,” said manager Mrs Bloomfield.

“Some of the windows had little holes like someone had fired a gun at them but we couldn’t find any pellets, so it may have been stones.”

Shattered glass covered the floor, tables and chairs, and it took four members of staff more than an hour-and-a-half to clear the debris and make it safe for customers.

In a show of defiance, the cafe, which is known throughout the region, opened a little later than usual, and served a steady stream of customers throughout the day.

“It was a nice day on Sunday so we were quite busy,” said Mrs Bloomfield. “The customers were all very sympathetic and, like us, they want to know who did it. They want to know why someone would do this to us.”

Earlier this summer the caf�, which has fed holidaymakers, fisherman and locals since 1946, underwent a revamp, giving it a New England-style feel.

“We had the outside repainted and a sign writer came in to do the windows before the start of the holiday season,” said Mrs Bloomfield.

“If anyone knows why someone did this or how they did it, then we would love to know.”

The caf� is still going ahead with Friday’s coffee morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and the team are hoping it will be extremely popular despite the vandalism.

A police spokesman confirmed that ten window panes were smashed at some point between 5pm on Saturday and 7.50am Sunday.

“The windows faced out on to the car park and all the panes contained safety glass. As yet we have been unable to establish how the damage was caused. We are not ruling out the possibility a gun may have been used.”

Anyone with information should call Pc Mark Hurrell on 01473 613500.

n Have you got a message of support for the team at the Ferry Caf�? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk