VANDALS in Cricklade have spoiled Christmas for one festive couple after stealing decorations from their garden.

Each year Vivian and Sandy Wilks of Fullers Avenue fill their front garden with flashing lights and Christmas decorations to raise funds for the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton.

This year they installed a security camera so that they could catch any passers-by who were misbehaving.

But on Christmas Eve when the incident occurred the couple had switched off the CCTV camera. Mr Wilks, 73, said: "They pulled down my lanterns and ripped off a lot of the flashing lights before pinching four of my big bulbs.

"I don't know why people do it. I don't think I'll do it anymore, every time it happens it costs us money. It's not worth it." The act of vandalism, which caused damaged estimated at £30, occurred in the early hours of Christmas Eve. The police are investigating the incident.

So far this year the couple had raised £500 from collection pots in their garden and from door-to-door collections.