VANDALS have ripped sheets of lead from the roof of Pinehurst People's Centre.

The youths, aged between 14 and 16, climbed on to the roof of the centre, in Beech Avenue, and brazenly started to rip off the sheeting before onlookers called the police.

The youths got away, but centre caretaker and treasurer John Partridge thinks they were trying to steal the lead to sell at a scrap yard for cash.

Mr Partridge, 73, said: "If I had done this sort of thing when I was a child I would have got a damn good hiding, but that doesn't happen these days.

"Half the trouble is that these kids have got nothing to do that's why we have got to save this community centre from demolition."

Saturday afternoon's episode is the latest in a long line of setbacks for the community centre, which was established as a charitable company in October 1987 but is still embroiled in a battle to save it from demolition.

Swindon Council has earmarked the site as one where houses could be built.

The results of consultation on the subject will be presented to cabinet this summer.

In the meantime those running the centre will continue to lease the building from the council.

Mr Partridge added: "Nobody was here to stop them getting on the roof and they took an awful lot of lead off. We have had a bit of trouble before, but nothing like this. It was in broad daylight.

"This sort of vandalism sets us back because we have to pay for it ourselves."

He stressed that the leaky roof would not hamper forthcoming bookings.

Swindon council spokeswoman Hellen Barnes said the council was waiting for contractors to finalise a quote for repairs to the roof, adding that the work would be carried out soon.

Anyone with information on the vandalism should call Swindon police on Swindon 528111.