VANDALS have victimised a community group's workshop and smashed their way in almost exactly a year after it happened previously.

Recycle group Bicester Green was struck on New Year's Eve when raiders crashed their way through its shop doors.

Shattered glass and destruction trailed through the group's workshop, in Launton Road, as volunteers found out on New Year's Day.

Thieves scaled the perimeter fence to ransack the site, used to teach skills and upcycle old unwanted items, and made off with hundreds of pounds worth of bikes and tools.

Not only was the volunteer group's base targeted in this instance, but vandals then returned two days later to smash up the CCTV cameras also.

Bicester Green co-centre manager Celia Cornforth said: "Obviously after working so hard to secure the site and implement the CCTV system following the burglary and vandalism on Christmas 2017, we are bitterly disappointed and saddened to once again be targeted in this way.

"It’s tough on the staff and volunteers alike, but we’re resilient and will continue with our practical skills courses next week as planned, getting back to normal is our main focus right now."

The attack comes comes almost a year to the day that Bicester Green, a community action group hoping to cut waste, was targeted by vandals on December 11, 2017.

Thieves broke in to the site's base in Launton Road and left thousands of pounds worth of damage in their wake stealing cash and the till from inside.

The community responded by helping raise £2,000 to cover the damage and install new security including CCTV.

But this sadly failed to deter vandals, who struck again and left the group to start to new year on a low.

The team worked hard in the days following to fix-up and secure their base and reopened January 5.

A fundraising page has been set up to help raise £500 for costs after the group said it was overwhelmed with offers of help and support.

Bicester Green trustee Jason Slaymaker added: "We have been aware of uninvited activity in the yard for over a year, but it has become more frequent and intense since October, culminating in the unfortunate recent events.

"The team is devastated to be targeted in this way but appreciate that we are not the only victims of similar crimes around the town.

"As we collectively regroup and repair our premises we will look at how we can prevent this happening again, and welcome conversations with other groups affected to identify how to work together to combat this activity."

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