A SPATE of vandalism in Calne has cost the town council more than £26,000 in insurance claims in the last three months.

Deputy clerk Linda Wakefield now says she is worried the insurance premium may rise, causing the council to ultimately push up its council tax precept.

She said: "It is the council tax payer who has to pay for this in the end. We have had three claims in three months and the premium could go up."

Mrs Wakefield is asking the public to be more vigilant because continued vandalism could affect their own finances in the long run.

She said: "We need to keep an eye on it. It will start hitting the pocket. It is everybody's town and we need to be more vigilant rather than turning a blind eye. If anyone sees anything they should ring the police."

The latest insurance claim for £2,000 was for criminal damage caused to the allotment hut at Beversbrook. The hut contains a toilet and an area for making hot drinks. Last weekend vandals broke into the building smashing up the toilet, cistern, windows and electricity meter box.

"There is nothing of any value up there, it was just mindless vandalism," said Mrs Wakefield.

Police press officer Steve Coxhead said thieves forced their way into the hut, causing extensive damage and stole a fire extinguisher worth £40.

Calne Allotments Society chairman Peter Highton said the hut was now boarded up and members were unable to make a drink for themselves or use the toilet on the site.

"They thrashed the hell out of it. It was left in a right old mess," he said.

Mr Highton told the council at a meeting on Monday the damage could have been avoided.

He said: "Despite our original request for a wire fence the same height as the one at Newcroft, the developers put up a fence two feet shorter. We warned them that it wasn't high enough. The cost of damage should be met by the developers."

The damage at Beversbrook follows a much larger insurance claim after vandals torched a play area at Anchor Road recreation ground last month.

Play equipment was set alight in the early hours of October 19, destroying a large part of the playground. The council had to claim £17,500 from its insurance company to repair the damage. Police are treating the incident as arson.

Mrs Wakefield said: "A massive piece of equipment was destroyed and it is a huge claim to make."

Anchor Road was also targeted by arsonists in July when a stolen vehicle was dumped outside the bowls clubhouse and set alight.

The Vauxhall Astra was stolen from Penn Hill Road in the early hours of July 4 and driven between a bollard and some granite boulders in the car park at the recreation club.

A neighbour noticed the flames and alerted fire fighters at 5.10am. They arrived within minutes and managed to contain the fire, preventing it from destroying the hut, but there was extensive damage to the men's changing hut.

Club treasurer, Bryan Tovey, said: "It's a shock to find this sort of thing on your own doorstep. You think it's never going to happen to me."

The council had to make an insurance claim of £8,000 to cover the necessary repairs.

The police are still investigating all three incidents. Anyone with information should contact Calne Police Station on (01249) 812106.