A FUMING councillor has said it “feels like a kick in the teeth” to see park benches which he spent months campaigning for destroyed.

Bill Davidson spent roughly six months trying to convince bosses and officials at Tendring Council to install benches in Jubilee Park, in Parkeston.

The Harwich Town Council representative for the Dovercourt Vines ward had argued elderly walkers, residents, and parents of playing children needed a place to rest.

The wooden benches were eventually given the go-ahead but have now had to be replaced with new ones, which are “nowhere near as nice”, after they were damaged.

Braintree and Witham Times:

Gutted Mr Davidson spotted the vandalised seating areas while out walking his dog and said he instantly became enraged.

He said: “My reaction was of disbelief and total disgust because the person or persons that did this obviously don't have any respect for anybody or anything.

“To see these benches destroyed is a kick in the teeth to all the elderly that use these benches on a daily basis and families that sit there and watch their children play.”

In images seen by the Gazette and the Standard, at least two of the benches have been left with missing slats in an area where people would otherwise sit.

According to Mr Davidson, the result of the pinched planks of wood is the exposure of dangerous screws which could result in injury.

“After taking the slats they left sharp screws sticking up which was dangerous,” added Mr Davidson.

“I would like to thank Tendring Council, who replaced them with a different type of bench nowhere near as nice as the ones that was vandalised.

“We work extra hard to make our communities a better place to live, so at least people can rest with their heavy bags of shopping on their way home.”

A spokesman for Tendring Council said vandalism of any kind was to be deplored.

“We simply don’t understand why someone would want to destroy something like this, which exists for the whole community,” he added.

“We will always look to replace something damaged in this way, but would far rather we didn’t have to.

“Our new bench design is more secure, sadly a need we require due to incidents of vandalism such as this.”