VANDALS have destroyed part of a market town's spectacular floral display on the eve of Britain in Bloom judges arriving to inspect them.

Flowers in tubs along the bridge outside Safeway, in Pickering, were pulled out and thrown away at the weekend.

The culprits were condemned by community leaders, who were due to show the displays to competition judges today.

Town clerk Andrew Husband said the community won two awards last year and he is hoping the vandalism will not affect its chances this time.

"Do we replace it only for them to destroy it again?" he said.

"It is very frustrating when we have gone to so much effort."

The Mayor of Pickering, Coun Natalie Warriner, said: "It is absolutely appaling that rate-payers' money has been spent on this display only for someone to rip it out.

"Much of Pickering's economy relies on tourism and to attract people here we have to make sure it is pretty.

"We will just have to try the best we can to repair the damage and hopefully it will not affect our performance in the competition.

"I simply cannot understand the inane mentality of these people. If it is young people, they have to learn that if they destroy things like this, then the council will not spend money providing them with better facilities."