VANDALS caused hundreds of pounds of damage to hanging baskets and flowerbeds in Malvern's Priory Park on Friday (June 22).

All 16 baskets decorating the bandstand were smashed, broken glass was strewn over the grass, a lamppost stand was thrown into the pond and flowerbeds were destroyed.

Groundsman Tony Keissinger said: "It's become a regular occurrence to come into the park on a Saturday and Sunday morning and find flowerbeds have been trampled, young trees snapped and so on, but this was worse than usual.

"We're going to put up some more baskets and give it one more try."

PC Colin Wishart, beat manager for Priory Park, said officers do patrol problem areas but suggested that partnerships, such as the Malvern Hills Community Partnership, were a better approach.