AN angling club facing a losing battle against vandals who keep wrecking its lake could close.

The Moulden Hill Country Park lake is supposed to be closed to the public.

But that hasn't stopped yobs from breaking in and destroying everything they can get their hands on including life buoys, fishing platforms and handrails for the disabled.

The situation is heartbreaking for members of the Moulden Hill Angling club, Taw Hill, who have leased the lake from Swindon Borough Council and who have spent thousands of pounds on improving it.

Club secretary Kevin Maddison, 35, a mechanic from Purton, said: "We have worked long and hard on this lake for the past four years and it is so disheartening to keep coming back and seeing it vandalised.

"It really is like a war zone there and we are losing heart.

"This could mean that the club will fold."

Initially the club had 100 members but this has dwindled to 40 because of the vandalism at the lake.

Kevin, who is married to Angela, 40, and has three children aged four, six and ten, described some of the damage that has been done. I went down there in November and someone had pitched up a five man tent then burned it and dumped about 100 empty cans of lager in the lake.

"It was obvious they'd had a barbeque that night which is something that happens a lot.

"There are no lifebuoys left at all they've all been burned or people throw them into the lake for their dogs.

"We did have guard rails for disabled people and children on the fishing platforms but they've all been kicked in or ripped off with tools.

"A lot of the damage is done by children because I've seen them down there. I think part of the reason for this is because they have been dispersed by the police from Moredon and Pinehurst so they come to the lake instead. The council has told me to try to get their names and addresses but its difficult."

He says that many of his members are too scared to use the lake.

"The police have also told us about a couple of flashers that have been down there.

"Some people just don't want to fish there any more."

What the police say

A Swindon police spokeswoman said: "Wanton vandalism is often caused by perpetrators living within the local community.

"We would encourage the public to help us with as much information as possible so that we can take positive action against those that not only break the law but spoil the leisure facilities for the majority of law-abiding citizens."

Ciane Milne