Lee-on-the-Solent beach huts severely vandalised

Now some tenants who rent them from Gosport Borough Council have called on the authority to install CCTV in the area.

Elizabeth Robertson only recently got the keys to her beach hut and was one of the worst-affected victims.

The 57-year-old, from Glasgow, said: ‘We were overwhelmed by the response of the community coming together.

‘We had only recently decorated our beach hut and plan to use it right the way through the winter.

‘The whole family is devastated.

‘I hope that the council can put CCTV at the huts because this cannot continue to happen.’

Steve Adams, who has rented a hut for the past two years, said his hut has been vandalised four times this year.

He said: ‘It was pointless vandalism because nothing of value was stolen.

‘The way the locks have been cut, it looks like they knew what they were doing.’

Lisa Donn goes running past the beach huts.

She added: ‘It brought a tear to my eye because they are beautifully kept.

‘It made me sick to the stomach.

‘It’s such mindless vandalism and there is no excuse. It is the worst I have ever seen.’

Councillor Graham Burgess, chairman of the council’s community board, has said that the authority repaired the damage.

He said: ‘We have worked to repair the damage and get the beach huts back in use and we will be increasing community warden patrols in the area.’

Sergeant Simon Law, of Hampshire police, said increased patrols are taking place in the area.

Sgt Law said: ‘In the last six weeks we have received 17 reports of beach huts being vandalised or broken into in Lee-on-the-Solent.

‘We have been carrying out CCTV enquiries in the seafront areas and have increased patrols to address the issue.’

The huts cost £830 a year to rent.