VANDALS have attacked the brand new £600,000 Areley Kings village hall - just days before its grand opening.one of the holes caused by vandals ripping the tiles off the roof of the new Areley Kings Village Hall.

The yobs climbed on to the roof of the community building - only completed last week - and made three holes by ripping off the tiles.

Village Hall Working Party chief, Rob Fowler has vowed, however, that the opening on Saturday will go ahead.

And local beat manager Jon Harris has said he will step up patrols in the area.

He added: "We have also liaised with the chairman of the village hall committee to look at diversionary activities for the youths."

The builders, who are still on site, are now busy repairing the holes in time for the hall's opening.

The attack was one of several petty acts of vandalism said Mr Fowler. Several weeks ago, boards were ripped off windows still waiting to have the glass put in them, gravel was thrown at windows and newly laid turf was dug up, he explained.

He said: "It is very, very disappointing and frustrating. It must be older children to have been able to get on the roof. It is such a lovely building that will be for everyone in the community and they seem to want to destroy it."

"It is a facility for the young people as much as anyone else," he said.

He added that CCTV was being installed in a few weeks.

The cost of the damage would be borne by the builders through insurance cover.

The vandals are in a minority, however, with many Areley Kings villagers so keen to start using their new £600,000 village hall they have already made £10,000 worth of bookings.

People have been busy booking up for weddings, birthday parties and meetings, said Reg Knott, chairman of the New Village Hall management committee.

Mr Knott said Saturday's opening would be the culmination of five years of hard work by Areley Kings residents and other bodies who had been involved in raising the money and organising and planning.

He was delighted the hall, which won £300,000 of lottery funding and passed its final architect's meeting last week, paving the way for the opening.

He said that as well as the 180-capacity main hall with its stage, there was a meeting room for 30, buffet room and fitted kitchen and a large foyer area.

The official opening will be at 2pm, with the public invited, when the ribbon will be cut. The decision on who is to cut the ribbon had not been made as the Shuttle/Times & News went to press.

Between 2pm and 4pm the public will be able to tour the building and, at 6pm, there will be a reception for the members of the Areley Kings Village Hall Association, with music by Stourport Choral and Operatic Society.