Persistent vandalism has prompted the withdrawal of litter bins from a Wantage beauty spot -- to the anger of residents who fear the area will become covered with rubbish.

Litter bins have been removed from a path which surrounds the Betjeman Millennium Park and runs alongside Letcombe Brook by Vale of White Horse District Council. The reason is the cost of replacing the bins that are regularly thrown into the brook and set alight by vandals.

David Stevens, acting assistant director of environmental health at the Vale, said the council was left with no choice.

He said: "We have replaced the bins more than three times and had to retrieve them from the stream on countless occasions. It costs us £100 for each bin as well as the cost of sending someone there to do the work and there comes a point when we need to draw a halt to the money we spend on them."

Residents insist they need vandalproof concrete bins to replace the plastic ones.

The mayor, Cllr Jenny Hannaby said: "We are trying to promote pride in Wantage but how can we do that if we don't provide bins for people's litter?"