Vandals in spray can attack on park hub

Yobs scrawled graffiti over a new community centre in Stourbridge - just days after construction work was finished as part of a multi-million pound project.

Vandals sprayed paint across shutters at the new Healthy Hub building in Mary Stevens Park, off Heath Lane. The building is used by community groups and includes outdoor gym equipment.

Councillor Heather Rogers, chairman of the Friends of Mary Stevens Park, today called the vandalism dreadful. She said youngsters already had a designated graffiti board in the park where they were supposed to paint their designs. "One day these people will have children of their own, and they will want to take them for days out to parks like ours but if they carry on doing this then they will just be left in a state."

"You can't believe it when we are trying to do things for the community. It is dreadful but the police can't look after these buildings 24 hours a day."

Five Healthy Hub buildings for use by community groups have been built at parks in the borough by Dudley Council following a £4.5 million government grant.

The grant was given to Dudley to help tackle obesity. Outdoor gym equipment and multi-use games areas have also been installed for residents to keep fit.

Councillor Rogers said the vandals had also damaged freshly-laid concrete for the foundations and brickwork, forcing workers to re-lay sections of cement.

Park rangers will soon be based within the building and police have access to the hub to use as a drop-in-centre.

The attacks possibly happened overnight between October 31 and November 1, hours after a police-organised Halloween party.