A CALL has been made for CCTV cameras in Bedale after the town's only public toilets were put out of action by vandals who committed £600-worth of damage.

It has also been suggested that the town council should follow the example of Middleham by warning that Bedale will have no skateboard park unless vandalism stops.

The weekend attack on the refurbished Bridge Street toilets was the latest in a series which has already cost Hambleton District Council almost £1,000 in repairs.

The men's toilets were left unfit for use and those for women and the disabled were out of commission for 48 hours.

Urinals were smashed, toilets pulled from the wall and overturned, toilet waste spread across walls and graffiti daubed on windows and walls.

The disabled parking bay outside the toilet block was also defaced.

David McGloin, head of technical services at Hambleton, said: "This extreme vandalism means we have had to close the complete toilet block - men's, women's and disabled - so that repairs can be carried out once more.

"The mindless acts of a few people will cause a great deal of inconvenience for many others and unnecessary expense to the council.

"These are not random acts of vandalism. It has been going on for some time now and these people come prepared.

"Holes have been drilled through water pipes and paint sprayed across walls."

Anyone with information should call council senior building services officer Steve Prentice on 01609 767164.

The district council said it hoped the toilet block would reopen fully by today.

Coun Ray Calvert, the Mayor of Bedale, said: "It took a long time to get the toilets done up, we got them up to a standard and now this happens.

"It's frightening. I cannot understand what pleasure they get out of doing this. I hope that, if people know anything, they will come forward and name names.

"Somehow or other we have got to sort this problem out. I really think it points up the need for CCTV in the town."

Churchwarden Peter Parlour last year condemned vandals who threw on to the annual Bedale community bonfire a memorial seat taken from outside the parish church.

He said: "We should follow the example of Middleham and say there will be no skateboard park in Bedale unless vandalism stops, and the town should have CCTV."