A SPATE of alcohol-fuelled vandalism across Egglescliffe village, near Eaglescliffe, is hampering the council's efforts to improve facilities for children.

Newly-installed adventure trail equipment in the Amberly Way play area, and facilities at St Margaret's play area, have been so badly damaged that they have had to be fenced off.

The equipment was rocked in its settings, making it unsafe to use.

Stockton Borough Councillor Maureen Rigg is a governor at Green Lane Primary School.

She said: "From the information that we have had from witnesses it seems to be younger teenagers who have done it, and from the number of beer bottles found in the area, it seems to be alcohol fuelled.

"The children are very upset because they enjoyed playing on the equipment for the very brief time that they could.

"It is also very difficult to explain to the younger ones that they can't use the equipment when they can see it there fenced off."

The children's garden at Durham Lane Primary School was also targeted by vandals.

The council recently gave a grant of £250 to the school to help start up the Green Fingers Club there.

Coun Rigg added: "Nowadays most of the food the children see comes pre-packed from supermarkets so the look on the children's faces when they dug up their first potatoes had to be seen to be believed.

"I was absolutely horrified and the children were devastated to see the damage done to the garden because they have worked so hard on it, but they are going to replant and soldier on."