PATROLS could make a comeback at a Forest 'jewel' to thwart vandals.

Bathurst Park in Lydney was targeted by vandals three times in less than a week – although hard-working staff quickly eradicated the evidence.

The chairman of the Bathurst Park Trust, Cllr Bill Osborne, said it could be time to look again at volunteer patrols to deter the vandals attacking the 14-acre site.

Obscene graffiti and damage was caused over the weekend of September 27 and 28 and flower tubs around the bandstand were wrecked on Thursday last week (October 2).

Cllr Osborne said: "It's disheartening because the team takes pride in this park and really works hard to keep it immaculate and you get this by a small minority.

"While they are having to repair damage they are not working on the upkeep of the park.

"All this damage and wanton vandalism has to be paid for and the only way it can be paid for is out of the Council Tax.

"Where citizens should be able to enjoy it and take advantage of it they're having to pay through the nose for it.

"This is the jewel in Lydney's crown. There is nowhere else in the Forest and, I suspect, nowhere else in Gloucestershire quite like it.

"It's a superb area – we have sports on one side and on the other a magnificent cafe where the tenant does an exceptional job and we have the kids' equipment.

"We've spent thousands on this over the years and we would like to think it is a benefit to residents and you get a small minority intent on ruining it.

"We had similar problems about five years ago and another councillor and I started patrolling the park to deter the vandals.

"It worked then and perhaps it's something we should look at again."

Chief executive of Lydney Town Council, Jayne Smailes said: "We would encourage residents to report any issues which they witness to the police as such actions spoil this facility for everyone."

Melissa Challener lives nearby and added: "It's absolutely disgusting, I'm so angry. We are so lucky to have this park – it's a real asset to Lydney and the Forest as a whole.

"The park keepers do a great job keeping it up together and for somebody to vandalise it is just appalling."