A PRUDHOE sports pavilion has been targeted by vandals during its renovation project.

Eastwoods Park pavilion was targeted by thieves between Saturday, January 26 and the early hours of Sunday, January 27, who smashed a window and made off with heating equipment.

Club secretary of Prudhoe Youth Club Duncan Graham labelled the vandalism as “disgraceful”.

He said: “It’s the second time something like this has happened in Prudhoe recently. There’s a lot of money that’s been spent in the local community like this pavilion project and we’ve now got to seriously consider advanced security methods including CCTV and shutters, which will only cost more money.”

He added: “The damage hasn’t scuppered our progress too much – we’ll have to get a replacement window, but the pavilion is still on course to open in March.”

Plans are also in place to convert the run-down bowls pavilion in another part of the park into a community hub. A Northumbria Police spokesman said police received a report of a suspected break-in at Eastwoods Park at 9.50am on Sunday.

“It is believed that overnight an offender had broken into the premises and stolen heating equipment.”

Northumberland County Councillor for Prudhoe South, Gordon Stewart said: “This is totally inexcusable behaviour. This is a building used by many volunteers and residents, located in a beautiful park at the heart of the community. People are working incredibly hard to improve Prudhoe and idiots do something like this.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 327 of the 27/01/19 or Crimestoppers anonymously on (0800) 555 111.