A YOUNG family is refusing to allow a mindless act of vandalism which flooded the downstairs of their home ruin Christmas.

At 5.30am on Saturday, Chloe Lovatt (21) and one-year-old son Lewis awoke to the devastating scene of their ground floor being under inches of water after somebody had shoved a running hose through their letterbox. As a result, furniture, electrical items and Christmas presents under the tree were destroyed.

Chloe believes that the culprits had tried to break into her house on Broomhill Road but, after failing, found the hose, pushed it through the letterbox and turned on the outside tap, causing water damage to all rooms on the ground floor.

Chloe said: “I was so angry and upset that somebody could do something like this, and it was so stressful because I didn’t know what to do. It’s just such a bizarre thing to happen, and the police said they’ve never known anything like this to happen.

“It’s just such a horrible thing for someone to do, especially at Christmas. It’s stressful and expensive as it is. We won’t let it ruin our Christmas, and we’ll just move it to my mum’s instead.”

As a result of the water damage, all furniture had to be thrown out and the carpets were ripped up. While the tidy up is ongoing, young Lewis is confined to playing upstairs. Chloe said: “It’s been very stressful for Lewis who is very frustrated he can’t play downstairs and run around in the living room.”

Since learning of the incident, people in Prudhoe have donated children’s toys and furniture, and a funding page has been set up at https://www.gofundme.com/w9pdvu-a-young-family-in-need-of-help.

“I’m so grateful for all the help I’ve had and it’s good that there’s some nice people out there,” said Chloe.

Police said they were treating the incident as criminal damage and are asking anyone with any information to ring 101, quoting log no 221 of December 8.