A charity worker has been left shocked by a vandal who slashed the tyres of his van.

The tyres of the van - which is clearly decorated in the Orinoco charity's logo - are believed to have been attacked last Sunday evening in the car park at Bullingdon Community Centre in Peat Moors, Headington, Oxford.

The charity takes unwanted items from retailers, materials from workmen, such as paint pots, scrap and garden tools and items left on rubbish dumps, so that other people in the city can make use of them.

Howie Watkins didn't realise he had fallen prey to the vandals until Thursday morning when he was due to take the van out to collect some materials.

The attack has left Mr Watkins, who runs the charity from the community centre, mystified.

He said: "This is a real shock. All the residents here are as upset as I am.

"You would need quite a hefty knife to make that sort of damage. It beggars belief.

"What is the point? I cannot understand it.

"If I had run over someone's dog or something, I could understand, but what is the point of knifing somebody's tyres?

"That's why I know it is not somebody who lives in this immediate area.

"All the youth and mouthy ones have got no problems with us. They see what we are doing."

Mr Watkins said he was grateful to Drewitts garage in Headington for offering to reduce the cost of the replacement tyres by £100, but he said having to spend that money would set the charity back.

He added: "I am trying to bring in a viable business model, but the money I use to buy the new tyres would have enabled us to get some paint for kids, but that will have to wait now."

An evening group run by Mencap operates at the Bullingdon Centre and Mr Watkins said people had been spotted trying to disturb the meeting in the past.

Anybody with information should call police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.