Walls Fall Down

RESIDENTS of Windmill Drive, Rustington, are at their wits end, having had their front walls smashed down repeatedly over the last seven years.

It is thought the damage is caused late at night, possibly by youths, rocking the walls back and forth until they crack and then kicking them down.

Brian Green s wall was pulled down for the third time on Monday night. This time he actually heard it come down and ran out of the house with a baseball bat, but the vandals had fled.

"When the police came round, I got a telling-off for having a baseball bat. I told them I am 63 years old. I don t know what I am going to find."

Another resident, 87-year-old Frances Benson, who lives on the corner, has had pellets fired through two windows and all three of her walls have been knocked down more than once.

About 18 months ago, Mrs Benson s husband, George, died of a heart attack shortly after one such incident.

Brian said: "Everyone in the street thinks her husband died as a result of this."

On one occasion, a group of youths was successfully prosecuted, but Brian believes they were not given stiff enough penalties as the incidents carried on afterwards.

"They only got a little bit of community service," he said.

Brian also said that if the rubble wasn t cleared away quickly, residents faced the possibility of having a brick thrown through their windows.

On Wednesday afternoon, there were six walls down in Windmill Drive, making the road unsightly and the residents fearful.

Many of them are pensioners and are now prisoners in their own homes as a result.

Victims have also suffered from a financial impact as their insurance premiums are increased each time the vandals strike.

For the full story and more pictures, see the Gazette, November 15.