A TRADER will have to spend more than £200 on repairs to his cornershop after it was vandalised by yobs.

The louts smashed a drain pipe and a fence at the convenience store on Halshaw Lane, Kearsley, after owner Andrew Young had closed for the day.

Mr Young, aged 55, who has run the shop with his wife Patricia for 13 years, said he was angry about the attack.

"I'm very annoyed because this has left me out of pocket. It will probably cost more than £200 to carry out the repairs."

He added: "It is also annoying because it was just malicious. It was for no reason at all."

Mr Young said he had closed his shop at 9.30pm on Tuesday night and was inside when he heard banging outside.

He said: "I thought it was just someone banging on my shutters." But when he went outside he saw the drainpipe had been smashed.

It was not until the next day that he noticed a fence at the side of the shop had also been vandalised.

Mr Young, who lives above the business, said it was the first time he had suffered vandalism in all his time trading on Halshaw Lane, although the property had been covered in graffiti in the past.

He said: "Someone spray painted right across the shop last year and we had to clean it off.

"This time, we think we know who it is. They are aged between 16 and 18."

The police have been informed of the incident and are investigating.