Scout hall in Dereham now targeted by vandals

Windows were smashed at the scout hall on London Road (Image: supplied)

One of the leaders, who lives near the hall on London Road, spotted windows had been smashed on his way to work this morning, both over the door and the arched windows on the road side.

It appears that stones had been thrown at them.

The listed building is home to both the 1st Dereham Scouts and the London Road pre-school. Staff had to clear up the broken glass and tape the windows before letting children in today.

Doors and windows were smashed and furniture wrecked in a break-in at the property in February. A disco on Saturday night raised £100 towards repairs.

Windows were smashed at the scout hall on London Road (Image: supplied)

Scout leader Ana Alves said they were devasted to learn of the vandalism but had been heartened by an offer to replace the glass by a local business.

'We had just started fund-raising to pay for the damage after the break-in and then we thought we would have to pay for this,' she said.

'But Dereham Glass on Rash's Green have already offered to donate the glass we need to replace them. They said that if we measure the odd shaped windows they will cut them for us for free too so we are really happy with that.'

But she added that it would undoubtedly upset the scouts and cubs to know that their building had been targeted again.

'This building is used by a charity and so many children depend on it,' she said. 'They try so hard to make it nice and now we have to tell them that this has happened.

'I just don't understand some people.'

* Anyone with information about the damage should contact Norfolk Police on 101.