A car park ticket machine has been stolen from a beauty spot just weeks after it was installed due to repeated break-ins of the previous donations box.

Eastern Daily Press: The traffic cone marks the spot where the car parking meter was stolen from the Salhouse Broad car park. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe traffic cone marks the spot where the car parking meter was stolen from the Salhouse Broad car park. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

Last month a parking meter at Salhouse Broad, which is on the River Bure between Wroxham and Horning, was introduced following four thefts in one year from the donation box.

But the new machine, which was drilled into concrete, was ripped out in an overnight theft between June 22 and 23.

Eastern Daily Press: The traffic cone marks the spot where the car parking meter was stolen from the Salhouse Broad car park. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe traffic cone marks the spot where the car parking meter was stolen from the Salhouse Broad car park. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

It is believed to have contained around £140.

Police said the parking meter was dumped and found later in the morning in Ranworth.

Jean Bishop has lived for nine years in Salhouse and is a member of a voluntary group associated with the broad and said the theft was ‘sad’.

She added: “I’m sad as they just set it all up. It’s sad that people want to destroy things.

“I did not mind at all about having a ticket machine as the donation box kept getting vandalised. I also think it had deterred people from travelling by car when it is easy for a lot of people to just walk or cycle.”

James Smith, 45, from Sprowston, said: “Someone must have really thought it through to go to that effort. There can’t have been loads of money in there so they must have been in a desperate situation.

“I think having a car park machine is fair and it is a reasonable price given that there are facilities, such as toilets, to use.”

Proceeds from car park tickets are put towards site maintenance and facilities, including a recent £12,000 bill to cut back leaning trees.

A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said: “Officers received a report at approximately 7am on Tuesday, June 23 following an incident of theft. A car park ticket machine was reportedly stolen from Lower Street, Salhouse, Norwich between approximately 8am on Monday June, 22 and 7am on Tuesday, June 23.

“It is believed to have contained approximately £140.”

Anyone with information should contact PC Paul Bassham on 101 quoting crime reference 36/41110/20.

The Ranger at Salhouse Broad declined to comment.