PARK volunteers are appealing for people to stop vandalising the area - and have urged more people to help maintain the greenery.

Zetland Park in Redcar has regularly been targeted by a small but persistent group of vandals, and frustrated Friends of Zetland Park chairman Brian Morton is now appealing for the destruction to stop.

He said: “The parks are for all to enjoy, not to destroy, and those responsible are stealing from everyone, including themselves.

“I am now appealing for three things: for more volunteers to help reduce the burden caused by the vandals, for parents to discuss behaviour in the

parks with their children - not to blame them, but to find out if they know who is doing the damage and why - and finally to the vandals themselves to

see sense and stop.

“Vandalism has no purpose, no gain for anyone, and is not really a clever thing to do. It’s not difficult to break something, but much harder to mend

it. What may seem like a ‘bit of a laugh’ could result in serious trouble for the culprits, including a police record.”

Mr Morton said recent damage to plants and fences in the park “has resulted in a loss of man hours, waste of resources and detraction from the beauty

of the park.”

He added: “While all our efforts are being put into remedial work, development and fresh planting cannot go ahead.”

Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call the non-emergency police number 101.

Anyone willing to boost the park’s team of volunteers - or suggest ways of improving the park - can contact the Friends through Facebook.