Petty thieves who stole newly-planted shrubs from Canvey's seafront will face prosecution if they continue, a group restoring the area today warned.

Canvey 2000 has ploughed nearly £50,000 into brightening up the area in time for the millennium, which includes a number of new trees and plants.

Gardeners discovered the empty holes in a newly created flower bed opposite Astairs nightclub on Eastern Esplanade where six lavender plants were dug up.

Chairman of the scheme, Dennis Williams, said: "I find it absolutely astonishing that anyone could steal from charity. There must be something wrong with them.

"The plants did not cost a great deal but that is not the point. We can't leave empty holes so we have to replace them all. The thief obviously thought they would look good in their own garden. It is blatant theft and if we catch them we will prosecute.

"We are working very closely with the police to try to stop problems like this. Here we are trying to make the seafront look beautiful in time for the summer and they are just spoiling it."

A team of six security guards are now on patrol along the seafront in a bid to cut down on problems with theft and vandalism.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.