How the vandals stole Christmas

Councillor has condemned those responsible after the damaged tree in Princes End, Tipton, was discovered.

Councillor Steve Jones, who originally campaigned to have a Christmas tree put up to improve the area, said he was disappointed by the actions of the people who vandalised the tree.

"There is this real atmosphere recently of anti-social behaviour," Councillor Jones said. "I do not know what is causing it but it has spiked very suddenly.

"For the last few years anti-social behaviour has been down and the police have been doing a fantastic job, but recently it has flared up again."

Emergency repairs were carried out on the tree but the electric cables will need to be replaced next week.

Councillor Jones said although police patrols have been stepped up he is calling on them to do more.

According to Councillor Jones, the vandalism of the Christmas tree is the tip of the iceberg, and just the latest incident in a spate of anti-social behaviour.

"We recently built a children's play area on the nearby Tibbington Estate and somebody has torn down one of the swings and tried to burn it," Councillor Jones said.

"We also put up some fantastic affordable bungalows but the police copped somebody trying to burn them down. I don't know where it is coming from."

Councillor Jones said he does not believe the vandals understand how their actions affect the area.

"People in the area ask why nothing good is ever done for the area, and yet here it is, anything good is just destroyed by these vandals," Councillor Jones said.

"When next year rolls around and I am trying to get funding for the Christmas tree it will be harder to get because there is a risk it will just be destroyed. It makes it harder to get anything nice or positive for the area."