The owner of a listed cottage in St Osyth today told how vandals had smashed up the property - just after the builders had moved in to carry out repairs.

George Beckwith has been unable to live in his home in Church Square since a blaze broke out at the end of November.

The cottage is in the conservation area of the village and in front of the church of St Peter and St Paul. However, a scheme to renovate the property had recently got under way.

Mr Beckwith was at the cottage on Saturday lunchtime but when he returned yesterday morning he found the vandals had struck.

"They kicked in a number of ceilings and smashed up a wall clock. But the most worrying thing is that they set fire to some newspapers in the dining room. Luckily it did not get hold - and must have gone out itself - otherwise that could have been the end of the building and it would have put us back years," he said.

Mr Beckwith estimates the damage at between £1,000 and £1,500. He had put up the newspaper to cover the windows at the back of the cottage. They had been set light and the frames were charred.

"The implications of what could have happened are just horrific," added Mr Beckwith.

He said there was nothing inside the cottage to steal and it has been empty since the fire last year.

Two crews from Clacton and one from Weeley went to the blaze in November. It was started accidentally in an Aga, went up the flue and into the loft space.

Mr Beckwith appealed for anyone who saw the vandals or anything suspicious in that area over the weekend to contact Clacton police on 01255 221312.

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