PARISH councillor Bert Shorter has asked police to get tougher with the village's vandals. Coun Shorter, chairman of Pewsey Parish Council environment committee, made his request at last week's parish council meeting attended by PC John Fairbairn.

The constable had given the monthly crime bulletin for the village and said the 16 reported crimes included criminal damage, assault and theft.

PC Fairbairn said there had been vandalism caused by youths in the recreation ground area near Easterton lane, a number of disorder offences two of them in the Co-op car park incidents of damage and a police car had been damaged by drunks in North Street.

The officer said there had been seven constables covering the Pewsey area previously but that figure was down to five, plus the sergeant Andy Peach, because of transfers and secondments.

Coun Shorter called on the police to be more proactive in combating vandalism and anti social behaviour in the village.

He said a woman resident had seen vandalism taking place at the bottom of Rectory Grove and went straight to the police station only to be told the solo officer on duty could not leave the station "because they were waiting for a car".

Coun Shorter said: "Consequently the vandals were not apprehended."

He said they damaged a number of trees including an oak tree planted to acknowledge the long community service of former parish councillor Bob Nicol.

Coun Shorter said that if the police had responded as soon as the complaint was made they could have caught the vandals red handed.

He said they left behind tools they had used to damage the trees including a saw, a spade and a fork.

Coun Denis Sweasey who represents the parish on the police consultative committee said a group was in the process of being set up to look into community safety, anti social behaviour and how people could report incidents to the police.

He said Kennet had agreed to fund the provision of pads on which anti social behaviour could be logged.