VANDALS suspected of using a car to pull down allotment fencing caused £1,600 of damage.

The fence around Leach Road allotments was replaced with concrete rather than metal posts after the damage last month.

Town councillors expressed their concern about the incident at a meeting.

Council leader Debbie Pickford said: "How much of our ratepayers' money is spent on time, consideration and everything else by this pure vandalism?

"There has got to come a time, I'm sure, when the insurance will become so high we have either got to take it on the chin or we can't provide these things for people."

Fellow councillor Les Sibley said he hoped the introduction of four street wardens and the newly-formed neighbourhood action group would help.