Steps to be taken to curb vandalism

Following another attempt last weekend in which the spouting and windows at the centre were the focus for vandals, Dr Richard Manning, who has practised at the centre for the past 10 years, said it has become commonplace for damage to occur at the centre at the weekends. However, the problem had grown to such a degree that staff were now considering forwarding the identity of those responsible to the police.

“Over a prolonged period of time we noticed that despite getting the windows cleaned regularly they were dirty again very quickly and we thought it might young people playing football and kicking the ball against them. We would have the windows cleaned on a Friday and they would go the whole way round the building and every window was bombarded with the football and the windows would be just plastered in filth meaning we would have to get them recleaned,” he said.

Dr Manning said that over time it was a regular occurrence that every time the windows were cleaned they were dirtied again, and that damage was recurring to the spouting at the building.

Dr Manning said that over time the identities of those involved had become known: “Even though they got wise to the fact that we have CCTV and started wearing hoodies, we have still been able to identify those involved, and initially we spoke to them. At this stage we have spoken to them directly and asked them not to play here. That usually resulted in a lull and the damage stops for a week, but they come back.

“I am now appealing directly to the parents not to let their children play in the grounds of the Medical Centre, and appealing directly to the better nature of the young people, to stop.

“If the deliberate targeting of the widows and spouting does not stop we will have no alternative other than to erect a perimeter fence and involve the police to ensure the attacks do stop,” he said.