Staff at Canvey's Dutch Cottage Museum say they may be feeling battered and bruised.But they're determined not to be beaten by vandals.
Smashed - secretary Geoff Johnson checks the damaged windows Picture: MAXINE CLARKE
However, it seems that scores of visitors expected to duck through the small cottage doors may think they have been, because they have failed to materialise in significant numbers this summer.
Secretary Geoff Johnson said he feared people may think the 17th-century building closed when all the windows in its annexe were smashed by vandals earlier this month, causing more than £2,000 damage.
Mr Johnson said: "We're all fixed up and ready for visitors. Our windows are smashed regularly - at least three times every year I would say - and although the last incident was particularly bad, we were still back to business as normal, almost the very next day.
"But the number of people we've had visiting is quite low at the moment, which is unusual and rather worrying.
"We just want to remind people the cottage is open, despite the actions of vandals who target us because we're in an isolated location and they can get away with it."
The cottage offers everything from the remains of a V2 rocket - which landed on the marshes about half a mile behind it - to corn dollies, and is open every Sunday from 2.30pm to 5pm until September.
Published Wednesday June 30, 2004
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