DRINK and drug taking youths are plaguing a Droitwich primary school.

Staff at Westlands First School & Nursery, on Farmers Way, say for months yobs have been using the school play area to drink alcohol, smoke and take drugs, and most recently on Monday, a glass vodka bottle was smashed on the school playground.

The school has been campaigning for a perimeter fence to protect the whole site and stop youths gaining access.

Currently the school has a perimeter fence made up only of mesh and bushes of about a meter high.

Deputy headteacher Amanda Richards said: "Historically the site has been open for a very long time."

"As a result youths from the estate and use it. We have found bottles, cans, cigarette butts, dog poo, drug paraphernalia - you name it, we've found it.

She added: "In the past we have found needles."

Funding for the work has finally been secured from Wychavon District Council and the project is due to start in January and expected to be complete by February.

Now, the school is hoping to raise a further £35,000 for a new outdoor play area for reception and nursery children.

During Easter, bottles were smashed into the bark surfacing in the reception class play area, as a result the bark had to be removed, making the outdoor area unsuitable for children to use.

Deputy headteacher Amanda Richards said: "The school site regularly suffers from criminal damage, including smashed bottles in the children's play areas.

I have been sweeping up a broken vodka bottle this morning (Monday). We are trying to develop the school and make it better for the children.

"As you will know, school budgets are impossibly tight at the moment and we just cannot afford to pay for a new outdoor area ourselves. This outdoor area is crucial for helping our youngest pupils to learn and develop both physically and mentally. It is vital that our children learn healthy attitudes towards exercise at the earliest opportunity and we believe this plan could help us to deliver this."

To make a donation to the school, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/westlandsfirstschool or call 01905 772740.