BUTCHERS in Badsey are appealing to village youngsters to stay away from their shop after closing time.

Paul and David Hart also want to enlist the help of parents to help keep their children in check following a spate of vandalism and unsociable behaviour.

In the latest act of vandalism, hundreds of tiny tiles have been chiselled off the wall outside the shop. The damage was caused sometime between Sunday and Monday, April 10 and 11.

The butchers have already taken down a wall to stop young people gathering outside causing a disturbance and littering the area. It worked for a short time, they said, but now instead of sitting outside on the wall, they gather in the shop doorway.

Paul Hart said: "We have had trouble from children for quite a few years and we are absolutely fed up. We got bad language from them when we told them to go away, so eventually we removed the wall they were sitting on, but they came back and now sit in the entrance."

The butchers are now in the process of getting an estimate to render the wall outside the shop, which they say will cost them in the region of £300.

Chairman of Badsey Parish Council, Reg Jakeman said: "The problem lately has been that the youngsters can't use part of the recreation field behind the village hall because of work being carried out there.

I will visit the butcher's shop and see what the parish council and the police can do about the situation."

Anyone who can help the police with their inquiries concerning the vandalism, can contact them on 08457 444 888.