Mindless yobs have already vandalised newly-opened public toilets at least seven times.

The £89,000 toilet block at Witham Town Park, off Maldon Road, was only opened in February but has already had to close on numerous occasions after being vandalised.

A lease for the block, which includes a locker room for use by schoolchildren, was taken out by Braintree Council and transferred to Witham Town Council, allowing them to oversee the management and maintenance of the facilities.

The culprits have been condemned by town councillor John Goodman, chairman of the council’s environment committee, who was involved in the formal opening of the block.

He said: “You construct something like that to help the community and a certain minority element seem hell-bent on trying to destroy it.”

See the Witham Times for the full story