MINDLESS vandals have turned a fine Regency townhouse into a potential deathtrap in a few weeks.

The grand house at Woodside, Lark Hill Road, off London Road, Worcester, has been stripped of valuable fittings and smashed up since the start of the summer.

The city council and police say the vandals and trespassers could end up hurt, so great is the damage inside.

The estimated repair bill for the Grade II listed building is £150,000.

London-based owners Zog Group – which paid £965,000 for the site in 2004 – say they are now committed to “restoring the former glory” of the building.

Period features like fireplaces and doors have been torn away from fittings, and stolen or broken beyond repair.

Trespassers have also tried to torch and flood the building and the property’s stairway balustrades dating from the 1820s have been smashed to kindling.

Not all the damage is motiveless with lead flashing stolen off the roof, and hundreds of metres of internal wiring stripped.

Carl Jukes, Worcester City Council conservation officer, said: “I saw the house 18 months ago resplendent in all its glory.

“In the last three months they’ve tried to burn the building down, and smashed the period features.

“My main concern is with the balustrades and handrails gone, someone will fall off the landing and die.

“We have routes to serve enforcement notices, or compulsory purchase but we’ve got a useful dialogue with the owners and they are taking their responsibilities seriously.”

The property has planning permission for at least eight luxury flats, which will now go ahead.

John Lahiff, Zog company director, said: “Our intention was to gain consent on the site and then sell.

“Unfortunately due to the current economic crisis, we received no firm offers so we will implement the plans ourselves.”

People living nearby reported anti-social behaviour to police and the council.

There is now shattered glass in many of the rooms, graffiti covering the stucco walls and empty lager cans and bottles strewn about.

Although access gates were padlocked, trespassers have simply gone over or under the perimeter wall and fencing - cutting their way through barbed wire.

The city council’s conservation team were told about the problems a month ago and got in touch with the owners.

The main building is a far cry from the former grandeur when owned by Francis Barnitt(correct) - a leading company man for Lea and Perrins in the 1800s and a director at Worcester Porcelain.

Mr Lahiff said the firm were now employing a security company to carry out 24-hour patrols of the site.

“Woodside will once again be a grand building that we can all be proud of,” he added.

A police spokesman said: “We urge everyone to stay away for their own safety and we also want all local parents to ensure they know where their youngsters are, what they are doing and who they are with, particularly through the remainder of the school summer holidays.”

Anyone who has information about damage or theft from the site or who believes they can identify the youngsters seen there should call police on 0300 333 3000, quoting 161N/110810.