Unhappy New Year start for vandal-hit club

Vandals smashed their way through a window into a hall used by Heaton Park Over 60s Club just hours before New Year.

Once inside, they trashed cutlery and threw a hot water heater through a window.

Now, one group which rents the Grey Street building is considering whether to spend a £2,200 Lottery Grant, earmarked to install a hearing loop system, new heaters and a music centre.

And the members of Prestwich Ladies' Group are also looking for a new home after the latest in a long series of incidents.

"It is malicious and very frustrating. We have spent a lot of money on the club and the place was in a real mess.

"This has been going on for a long time but up until now it has just been smashed windows as there are a lot of them. This is the worst incident," said Mrs Josie Grimshaw, treasurer of the ladies' group.

In the past, youths have also scrambled onto the roof of the building and banged on doors while the group met inside.

Mrs Grimshaw thinks the problem is that the hall is not overlooked by nearby houses.

She added: "We were going to have the hearing loop installed this week but we have had to put it off. Now, we are not sure if it will be safe if we put it in, they might get in and tear it out.

"We have also been looking for somewhere else to meet but this place is a real home from home. If we went somewhere else we would have to take everything home every night."

Police have dusted the hall for finger prints.

Mr William Hardy, chairman of the Over 60s club, added: "This was our New Year present!

"At the moment we are managing to service the place but if this keeps going on we might be forced out.

"The trustees are elderly people and we have no means of protecting ourselves. It is a shame as many of the people who come to the club live on their own and this is a chance for them to get out and have some entertainment."

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