Councillors slam vandals who left £5k trail of destruction in Whalley

Offenders broke chairs stolen from Whalley Cricket Club, which had been donated by local members, as well as snapping young oak saplings recently planted in the forest garden located behind the Bowling Club and the smashing up of a shelter on the Clitheroe platform and the ticket machine on the Blackburn platform on Whalley Train Station.

It is estimated that the cost of the damage is in excess of £5,000.

Disappointed by the destruction caused, Coun. Mirfin said: "What is required is visits to schools, as well as a raft of other zero tolerance measures to combat a rising tide of anti-social behaviour in Whalley.

"The village is on a high state of alert Elderly residents are living in constant fear, literally wondering where the next incident is going to take place. This represents a very serious escalation in anti-social behaviour and requires a very serious escalation in response on the part of the authorities.”

Coun. Hindle added: “I am pleased to see Ribble Valley Police and the British Transport Police working collaboratively to identify the people who caused criminal damage and a nuisance on the Whalley Train Station platform and the criminal damage done to pitch side furniture stolen from the cricket club in recent days.

"This kind of vandalism and anti-social behaviour is both unacceptable and is intimidating towards and worrying a large number of residents in the Whalley area.”

"I firmly believe that the majority of particularly young people are law abiding and not involved in these kinds of anti-social behaviour and myself and my fellow councillors call on the Ribble Valley Police to identify the people causing this criminal damage because that’s what it is: the young people committing the vandalism are committing a criminal offence - they are breaking the law and should be held to account and brought up before the courts, convicted and a sentence brought to bare."

A spokesman for British Transport Police said: "Officers were called to Whalley Station at 2pm on September 3rd following reports of criminal damage to the shelter and ticket machine.

"Enquiries into the incident are currently ongoing and anyone with information can contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 206 of 03/09/20."