IT is hoped new lighting will be the solution to stop persistent vandals who have been causing havoc on a recreation ground and a community hall.

A village association in Bradfield have managed to secure a £5,000 grassroots grant from Essex Community Foundation to put up lighting around their community hall and football ground.

It is hoped that not only will the lights enable footballers at the Bradfield Rovers Football Club to train in the evenings, but that the extra lighting will also deter vandals from trashing the area.

Charles Bolton, chairman of Bradfield village association, has helped to secure the grant, which will also pay for a new sound system and heater for the community hall.

He said the hall and nearby recreation ground had been plagued by vandals who have destroyed guttering and smashed bottles.

Mr Bolton said: “We have had persistent problems at the community centre with vandalism and antisocial behaviour.

“We are really hoping the lighting will stop the problem and that it will stop people feeling intimidated by groups of people lurking around in the dark, which has upset hall users in the past.”

Margaret Townsend, chairman of Bradfield Parish Council, said: “Because of problems with vandals the police came in to give advice, and they said that lighting would be the best way of detering them.”

“On the car park near to the football ground we have had some youngsters driving untaxed and unlicensed cars, and doing wheelies and things like that.

“People have also been taking bottles out of the bottle bank and then smashing them on the car park, and causing damage to the guttering in the community centre.”

Work is due to start on the community centre this week and the floodlights at the football ground are due to be installed today.