A FRUSTRATED council has spent more than £1,000 on repairs after a vital public facility was targeted by vandals.

The Grove Park Playing Fields toilet block is one of only two available in the village, both of which are provided by Tiptree Parish Council.

However, the parish clerk says this particular one has been the target of vandalism on numerous occasions.

Rob Williams, the clerk to Tiptree Parish Council, said: “It has occurred on three separate occasions. Each time we’ve repaired it and each time it’s been vandalised again.”

Whenever the toilet has been vandalised, the council has been forced to close it while repairs are carried out.

In the latest hit, the amenity was shut for more than a month for repairs.

Stones had been placed within the toilet making it inoperable and the frame to the door had been damaged.

The playing fields are situated nearby to the village’s pump track and skatepark, making the toilet an important and well used facility.

“It’s a godsend for the mums,” Rob continued.

“There’s a small children’s playground close to it and the mums truly appreciate it.

“The issue is that...towards the evening time when it gets darker they (the vandals) decide that is when they want to close it in their own way.

“And, of course, then it is a case of us spending numerous hours repairing it, spending money on getting new locks and then opening it again and it getting shut again.”

Rob estimated the council has spent in excess of £1,000 in total on repairs for the toilet.

The latest incident was reported to the police on January 31 in an effort to stop this and an investigation has been launched.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “It was reported damage was caused to a door and the ceiling totalling about £165.”

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police at essex.police.uk quoting incident 42/27747/22.

Rob added: “I’m conscious that I don’t want these miscreants to be heroes in any way, shape or form.

“There’s a great deal of time and effort being put into providing this.”