TWO vandals who caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage at a village hall have had second thoughts on how much compensation they should pay.

The pair, together with a third teenager, had initially offered to pay £142 each for the damage caused to the door and window at Sedbury and Beachley village hall.

But the carers of two of them have suggested that £75 each is "more realistic."

The cost of installing a more secure door at the hall in King Alfred's Road, Sedbury was £1,800 and the council had to spend a further £120 for the window.

The request was put to Tidenham parish council, which runs the hall, by two of the vandals but there has been no contact from the third.

Parish clerk Jan Cordon said: "Originally the council was asked by PC Debbie Davies to accept the offer of £142 from each of the three offenders and this was agreed with the parents or carers.

"It did not meet the whole bill but it was a gesture.

"It appears that two of the three are now, through their carers, suggesting £75 is more realistic, No comment is made about the third youngster."

Chair of the council amenities committee, which manages the hall, Councillor Steve Ford said they should stick to their guns over the compensation.

He said: "I would rather go to court and get nothing than accept the reduced offer.

"It would reward the children for their actions and their carers for not knowing where they were."

The village hall is a regular target for vandalism and more damage had been caused before last Wednesday's meeting of the parish council.

Mr Ford said he thought the damage to the metal fence may have been caused by a car being driven into it.

Potentially dangerous lengths of metal were exposed by the vandalism which had to be repaired urgently at a cost of £300.

The council was told that the final decision on the amount of compensation from the three vandals would be fixed by local police.