Purton Road BridgeIT used to be an area of natural beauty, a place of tranquillity, where people could go to relax. But now Mouldon Hill Country Park in West Swindon is a scene of devastation after becoming a target of vandals and graffiti artists.

Steve Leonard, 43, a stock controller who lives in Pembroke Park, which is next to the afflicted area, wants something to be done about it.

Mr Leonard is so incensed by the situation he even went out and took pictures of all the acts of vandalism to which the area has been subjected.

This comes after the Adver reported in yesterday's paper that graffiti had got up to epidemic proportions in West Swindon.

In the latest incident vandals covered the walls and shutters of a building.

Mr Leonard said: "This is such a lovely park, but it has been devastated by vandals and graffiti artists.

"We have a major vandalism problem in West Swindon, I suppose much like other areas of Swindon.

"Nothing is sacred here. They are systematically destroying everything in their sight."

The vandalism he describes includes the Purton Road Bridge being covered in graffiti, benches all smashed up and removed, trees being snapped off by vandals.

"If they can destroy something, the vandals will," he added.

"If they can't destroy it, they will instead scrawl their graffiti tags all over it."

Mr Leonard also described the problems with yobs racing their motorbikes through the park churning up the fields all around it, and how they congregate in gangs which can be very intimidating. "The council needs to do something about it, and I don't just mean clearing it up and moving the youths on," he said.

"If they are moved on they will just go and terrorise somewhere else.

"The problem needs addressing at the source, and that is to provide these youths with places to go like youth clubs or even a track for their motorbikes.

"A place where they can actually graffiti legally would also be good." The police believe their only five or six graffiti artists responsible for the epidemic in West Swindon, which has seen nearly every flat surface scrawled on by the taggers.

Anyone who knows who the vandals are should call the Evening Advertiser backed It's Your Call Line on 0845 605 2222, or alternatively Swindon Police on 01793 528111 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Jamie Hill