VANDALS wrecked all the hard work involved in a community project to give Batchley Pool a facelift just hours after it was finished.

The makeover had involved clearing out the pool, planting new shrubs and replacing broken tiles.

Residents and volunteer groups carried out the work last Wednesday and Saturday at the circular top end of the pool in Oak Tree Avenue as part of the BBC Hereford and Worcester's Voices project.

But within hours of its completion, more than 40 newly cemented tiles had been pulled off and thrown into the pool, a wall had been damaged, rubbish from nearby skips had been scattered around the area and new plants uprooted and some of them stolen.

BBC Hereford and Worcester's community reporter for Redditch, Tim Coleman, said the fire brigade had cleaned out the pond, B&Q had donated tiles for the wall and Pershore Horticultural College had donated plants.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the damage being caused to call Pc Doug Turland at central sector on 08457 444888.