VANDALISM in a Warndon park resembles a 'war zone' and it may mean money is not spent to help young people elsewhere in the area.

A youth shelter at Lyppard Grange in Warndon Villages, Worc-ester, has been criticised by residents, councillors and even the teenagers themselves since it was put up in May and needs funding of up to £8,000 to give extra privacy and protect them from the rain. But less than a mile away, at a playground in Great Oaty Gardens, vandalism continues and residents who overlook the site say their lives are being made a misery by hordes of teenagers behaving badly.

Parish council member Sarah Richards said: "It's like a war zone down there."

The parish's environment warden Kevin Jenkins told the parish council it was 'crazy' that youngsters wanted money when the Great Oaty Gardens park was being damaged by youths in the area.

He said: "Have you seen the mess they leave there?

"Look at the damage being done - they are ripping down fences. "They need to pull themselves together. What they are doing down there is a disgrace."

Worcester city council's community safety co-ordinator Tracy Reck and Warndon Parish Council chairman Andrew Philpott met the group of young people to discuss what could be done at the youth shelter.

Mr Philpott said: "There were six youths here and it was they who suggested the fund-raising themselves, so it's coming directly from the kids to take ownership of the shelter.

"They weren't looking for handouts, they were asking what needed to be done to raise funds."

The youngsters want to add block paving, a bin, and more side panels, which could cost between £2,000 and £8,000.