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Yobs wreak havoc on school's pool in wrecking spree
This is the scene of devastation that awaited staff at a North End school after vandals wreaked havoc on its swimming pool.
They broke into Cliffdale Primary School's swimming pool on Friday night, shortly after it was locked up for the night.
The pool is used by disabled children who need regular water therapy, as well as by the wider community.
The gang sprayed graffiti on the walls, ripped all the fixtures and fittings from the changing rooms and attacked the pool's tiles with broom handles.
One piece of graffiti read: 'Old Bill will never catch us'. They also smashed bottles on the floor and emptied beer cans into the water during their rampage of destruction.
During the mindless attack, the vandals sprayed graffiti on the walls which referred to themselves as 'the Stamshaw Crew'.
All the furniture had been thrown into the pool, which is connected to the school by one corridor, and is not visible to the school's Battenburg Road neighbours.
Police have confirmed they are investigating.
School headteacher Alan Pratten said the attack would have a huge effect on the school. It was just senseless vandalism, and the knock-on effects are considerable,' he said.
'We probably won't be able to get the pool ready for the children who are here for summer school, so they'll miss out.
'And the children who use the pool for their therapies are going to be sorely disadvantaged.'
Mr Pratten hopes the pool can be repaired before the start of the school term in three weeks' time, but the money for the repairs has to be found and the school has had to lay off six teaching assistants because of lack of funds.
It is understood the vandals struck sometime between the pool being locked at 5pm and a fire alarm being set off at 6.30pm on Friday.
The alarm was not raised until around 9pm when staff went to the school and found the trail of devastation the vandals left in their wake.
It is thought the vandals had accessed the school before, but had only smoked and moved benches that time.
One of the phrases they daubed on the wall referred to their earlier visit to the swimming pool area.
Scenes-of-crime officers were at the school on Saturday afternoon collecting evidence to try to track down the vandals.
A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said: 'We can confirm we are investigating a break-in at the school.'
Anyone with any information about the break-in should contact police on 08450 454545 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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