More benches targeted by vandals in Chapel St Leonards

Visitors to Chapel St Leonards are being urged to be vigilant after more benches along the sea wall were vandalised.
A chewed corner of a bench at Chapel St Leonards.A chewed corner of a bench at Chapel St Leonards.
A chewed corner of a bench at Chapel St Leonards.

Parish council workmen originally feared a dog had ‘chewed’ the corners - but with more than 15 attacks reported it is now believed someone has ‘chipped at them with something sharp’.

About a dozen benches from the Pullover to the Point were targeted in the first incident a couple of weeks before Christmas, with an adnditional three reports over the weekend.

This is a further blow to an area which has seen thousands of new visitors since the opening of the North Sea Observatory in July 2018.

Another theory is the benches have been chipped away with something sharp,Another theory is the benches have been chipped away with something sharp,
Another theory is the benches have been chipped away with something sharp,

In March last year, a stretch of the new coastal path along the sea wall was splurged with offensive graffiti which took hours for council workers to scrub off.

Christine Newton, Clerk to Chapel St Leonards Parish Council, said it is very disappointing to be targeted again when the council is working so hard to improve the area,

She said: “Workman have been repairing the benches as the splinters are a safety hazard,

“However, it has now been decided not to carry out more repairs, but to put warning tape on them to alert people to the danger.”

Police have been informed as the Parish Council are also concerned the perpetrators are carrying about a potential weapon which could be a danger to the public.

Paul Hibbert Greaves, chairman of Chapel St Leonards Parish Council, said: “The police have been informed and would like to hear from anyone who has any information.

“However, we don’t want a member of the public to challenge the vandals if they see it happening. Our concern is the situation could escalate and someone might get hurt.”

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incidents 102//24/12 or 105/29/12