CONSERVATIONISTS and police have condemned criminal attacks on a national nature reserve.

Poachers and vandals are targeting the Teesmouth Nature Reserve, near Hartlepool.

They are using dogs to hunt down brown hare and deer, crashing through the sensitive feeding and breeding grounds of thousands of wild birds.

Anglers are causing further disruption by digging for bait - food needed by visiting winter migrants to build up their depleted reserves.

Surrounding businesses are to step up security patrols and use their security cameras, which already cover the area, to home in on the intruders.

Welcoming the move, PC Rob King, wildlife officer with Cleveland Police, said: "The more people that give us information that something is happening, the more we can do.''

This week, vandals damaged a remote bird watchers' hide, smashing all the windows.

Accompanied by volunteers, Tina Flinn, community liaison with Government agency English Nature, yesterday worked to make the trashed hide safe.

She said: "It's senseless vandalism, it is just so utterly pointless that someone has done this. The majority suffers for what the minority are doing.

"Because of this vandalism, we are having to spend time and money on repairs, diverting resources we could be using on other things.''

Miss Flinn added: "They have had to walk 20 to 30 minutes to get here, just for the sake of smashing some glass. What is the point?

"English Nature is trying to promote conservation and preserve the area.

"We have only got ten per cent of the tidal mud flat area left.''

She added: "We have to look after our environment and the animals have as much right to be here as everyone else.

"If poachers are constantly coming through, they are going to disturb and disrupt the breeding birds.

"We are a national nature reserve because of the high numbers of winter migrating birds we get here. But if there is going to be constant disturbance, that could disrupt breeding patterns at a time when they need peace and quiet.''

A spokesman for nearby Huntsman Petrochemicals said: "We are very concerned about this. We will be stepping up security and being extra vigilant to try and catch the culprits.''