VANDALS have struck at a school field, damaging items that were installed by a local community group.

Staff from the school returned to work on Monday and discovered that a planter had been damaged and a sign ripped down by unknown vandals.

The area was the subject of a restoration programme by members of Kearsley Community group this summer after travellers settled outside St Stephens C of E School in July.

The group installed the plant plot as part of efforts to deter travellers in future by blocking entry to the fields, but the sides of it appear to have been damaged by repeated kicks.

Tony Lasan, head at St Stephens asked local residents to let the police know if they saw or heard about incidents like this.

"Following the events over the summer there has been a fantastic community response and it was the community that brought this to our attention," he said.

"We want the field to be a good resource for the school and the community, and it can be if it's used properly.

"Hopefully, people are going to ensure that the people who do these things are known to the police."