TEENAGE yobs have left a trail of destruction at Horwich Garden of Remembrance. They wrecked a park seat donated by the people of Crowborough, Horwich's twin town in Sussex, started dismantling stone walling and dumped empty beer cans and bottles in the flower beds at the gardens in Lever Park Avenue.

Residents who overlook the gardens say about a dozen youngsters, aged 15 to 16, congregate in the gardens almost every night causing a disturbance until late.

On Tuesday, the night of the wrecking spree, the group of both boys and girls, were there until midnight. "It's so sad. A lot of elderly people from the area like to go and sit in the gardens but the teenagers have made such a mess with broken bottles," said the woman, who did not wish to be named.

She said residents have called the police on many occasions, but once the police have gone, the youngsters come back.

Another resident said the youths trampling flower beds by playing football in the gardens.

Yesterday maintenance men, employed by Bolton Council to tend the gardens, cleared the mess but said that almost every week they take away sackfuls of beer cans and broken bottles. Town Mayor Cllr Barbara Ronson said she would be taking up the problem with the police and was going to ask the council's Home Watch officer to visit residents. She will also arrange to have the seat repaired.

Cllr Mrs Ronson, who will be visiting Crowborough shortly, said the seat was donated to mark the anniversary of VE Day last year.

"I passed the gardens only on Sunday and thought how nice they looked and remarked on how the seat had survived the vandals," said Cllr Mrs Ronson.

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