Vandals put wildlife trust vehicles out of action

Staff arrived at the charity's headquarters to find the vehicles damaged

A wildlife charity says it has suffered a "massive blow" after two vehicles were put out of action by vandals.

A VW Caddy van used by Northumberland Wildlife Trust to transport equipment between more than 60 nature reserves had its rear windows smashed, while the windows and windscreen of a Land Rover were also broken.

The damage was discovered by staff at the organisation's headquarters in the grounds of St Nicholas Hospital in Gosforth, Newcastle.

The trust described it as the latest example of "wanton destruction" on its sites in recent months.

In a statement, it said: "The damage to [the Land Rover] is a massive blow to the charity's estates officers and their volunteers who will have lots of down time until it is repaired.

"The vehicle, which has covered hundreds of thousands of miles, is used to transport heavy equipment such as tractors around the region.

"[It] is also important for meadow management, such as towing haymaking equipment which has now had to stop, and once it has been repaired it will be a race against the weather and the end of the summer to get it completed."

The charity says it faces a race against time to get the vehicles repaired

Geoff Dobbins, the trust's estates officer, added the "mindless vandalism really upsets the timetable of work scheduled for our reserves and we will spend the next few weeks playing catch up when it is so unnecessary".

The charity said it had been experiencing "a huge amount of damage on its other reserves".

In North Tyneside, security fencing at Howdon is regularly cut, while a hide intended for bird watchers at Holywell Pond is "constantly being vandalised by youths who consume alcohol in there every weekend".

Meanwhile, in Northumberland, it said off-road bikes have been ridden across blanket bog at Whitelee Moor and fires have caused problems at Briarwood Banks, Close House and Priestclose Wood reserves.