VANDALS have targeted an Evesham school in a wave of attacks, leaving it with repair bills of several hundred pounds.

Hooligans have also been out in the town's Abbey Park, regularly setting light to litter bins.

The Vale of Evesham School, in Four Pools Lane, has fallen prey to the yobs on an almost daily basis in the last few weeks.

Barbara Bennett, an administration assistant at the school, said: "We have been experiencing small amounts of vandalism in the last two or three weeks and we have taken steps to stop them."

She said a purpose-built Wendy house for younger pupils had had its roof ripped off and a picnic bench put through it and the greenhouse currently propagating plants for the Britain in Bloom contest had been smashed.

Broken glass and used condoms have also been thrown down on the grounds and a rubbish bin was set on fire, nearly spreading to a fir tree.

The latest attack was discovered last Thursday, when staff arrived to find bedding plants had been ripped up.

The vandalism has affected the school so badly that children have recently sent letters to the Prime Minister and Evesham Town Council in a bid to stop the attacks, while staff have called in the police to discuss crime prevention methods.

PC Paul Adams, Evesham beat manager, said the incidents were being investigated and the school would be visited by a crime prevention officer.

He said: "We are looking at not only resolving the issue of people trespassing on the school, but also how to prevent it in the future."

Meanwhile Wychavon District Council's parks officer has slammed the vandals who have been setting fire to rubbish bins in Abbey Park.

Lynn Stevens said she was recently called out twice in two days to see damaged bins.

"The value of the bins is about £350 a time and then there's a £50 installation charge," she said.

"It's not only expensive, it is demoralising and sad.

"It means that if we're spending money on replacing bins then we cannot spend it on other things."

The most recent attack on a park bin happened on the evening of June 20 but failed to burn properly as it was wet inside. An Evesham fire crew extinguished the flames.