'Do you know where your kids are?' – police plea to parents after sports pavilion vandalised

POLICE have urged parents to know where their children are after youngsters were thought to have broken into a Christchurch sports pavilion.

Two windows were smashed when offenders forced their way into the BCP Council-owned building on Barrack Road on Saturday afternoon. White paint was splashed up an outside wall, with toilet roll also strewn around.

The alarm was raised shortly after 4.30pm, with reports a group of youths had broken into the pavilion. Officers attended and secured the building as they investigated the offence.

Pictures of the damage were posted by local police on Twitter as they called for people to come forward if they could help track down the offenders.

“Do you know where your kids are?” the tweet said.

“Christchurch police are investigating more damage at the cricket pavilion on Barrack Road. Local officers attended on Saturday and secured the building.”

Christchurch Cricket Club’s chair Tony Robinson told the A&T it stopped using the facility about two years ago due to an “unsafe outfield”.

But he said the pavilion had been vandalised a few times when it was in use.

A spokesperson for BCP Council said a team had visited the pavilion on Monday and repairs would be carried out. However, they were unable to say how much this would cost.

Those with information about the offence should contact Dorset Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.