A council which was recently awarded compensation for having to clean up the aftermath of a graffiti spree in South Woodham Ferrers has defended holding graffiti classes in the town for teenagers.

Chelmsford Borough Council was awarded a large part of the £1,160 that a 17-year-old vandal was ordered to pay after spraying his 'tag' 150 times around the town.

Earlier this week, councils who allow graffiti walls came under fire from Keep Britain Tidy.

The charity's regional director Joanne Whitaker, said: "Graffiti is a crime, it's as simple as that and giving someone a wall to write on is like giving a burglar a house full of goods to practice breaking and entering."

But the borough council is unrepentant about the classes, part of the council's touring Summer Fest.

A council spokesperson said: "Chelmsford Borough Council's Summer Fest provides five weeks of free activities over the summer holidays. Summer Fest teaches young people about graffiti as an art form and educates about when and where it is appropriate, encouraging them to take responsibility."

Published Thursday August 5, 2004

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