Peace Shattered

The damage in St Nicholas' Garden, between the village library and the Lamb Inn, was discovered on Friday morning. Repairs could cost well over 1,000.

One reinforced concrete bench was ripped out of the ground and shattered into several pieces, which then seem to have been used to batter other wooden seats.

Among these was one given in memory of Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk, who opened the garden in the 1970s.

"It must have taken a lot of effort for them to tear the concrete bench out of the ground and smash it up," said Peter Downey, chairman of the parish council environment and leisure committee.

"I don't understand the mentality of these people."

Parish council chairman Terence Kay said the attack on St Nicholas' Garden was the latest in a series of mindless acts of vandalism in the village, including trees being uprooted and other public and private property being damaged.

"This is disturbing and the parish council is arranging a meeting with police superintendent Graham Walter and our county councillor Oliver Wingrove to demand that effective action is taken.

"If nothing is done, the nuisance will continue unabated."

Mr Kay appealed to anyone who had information about the vandalism at St Nicholas' Garden or elsewhere in Angmering, which could lead to offenders being apprehended, to contact the parish council.