Vandals who trash sites in Castle Point could become the targets of a new hard line campaign, it was disclosed today.

The idea was put forward by council leader Dave Wells at a meeting of Castle Point council's leisure and amenities committee.

He was speaking after members heard a plea from Benfleet Cricket Club for a solution to the problems of vandalism at their square and club pavilion in Woodside Park.

During the meeting Coun Wells said that he thought a specific strategy could be developed to help combat the louts, which if it worked could then be used elsewhere.

Speaking to This Is Essex afterwards, he said: "We want to really smash these vandals and come up with one plan targeted at Woodside which can then be moved elsewhere.

"It wouldn't be something that goes quite as far as the zero tolerance campaigns we have seen in other places, but I would like to see Woodside as the first place where we can really say there is no tolerance of vandalism.

"If it's successful there we will know it can be repeated elsewhere."

He added that the idea would be brought up at the next community safety sub-committee.

Another request by the cricket club for them to be allowed to maintain the two pitches at the park was refused, but members did decide to investigate allowing them to sub let the clubhouse for social events for bona fide members and also agreed to investigate the relocation of where the cricket sight screens are stored.

Castle Point has suffered a spate of vandalism in recent months including broken benches, kicked up kerbs and ripped up plants - thwarting the work of Canvey 2000 volunteers on the seafront.

The fence outside the historic Dutch Cottage has been knocked down and Canvey county councillor Ray Howard had the front of his house damaged and all the horses let out of his stables by mindless vandals.

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