VANDALS have caused £500 of damage to a new Darlington community centre.

Youths pulled down drainpipes at the £1.4m Maidendale House, which only opened in Burnside Road, Firthmoor, in May.

Bill Cook, who is chairman of the estate's community partnership board, said: "They have all been ripped off, they have all been smashed and we have got to replace them.

He said centre bosses planned to put a guard around the drainpipes to prevent any future damage.

"It's malicious damage," added Mr Cook. "It's mostly on weekends and mainly on Saturday nights that they are doing it."