VANDALS have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and risked serious injury by attacking a high-pressure steam pipe.

The piping is used to transport high-pressure vapour from a combined heat and power plant (CHP ) at Winnington to various chemical companies.

It was targeted between 12pm on Sunday, April 10, and 10am on Tuesday, April 12.

Energy company Eon, which own the section of vandalised Manchester Road piping, will have to pay £2,000 to correct the damage caused by a heavy object to the pipe's outer insulating material.

Steve Wheat, site manager at CHP Winnington, said: "The damage to the pipeline is pretty small.

"We only mentioned it to the police so they could pick up on it during routine checks. It was probably just kids messing around.

"We rent the land there, and own the pipeline, and the damage will be repaired once we have sorted everything out with our contractors. It will probably be within the next couple of days."

But a Cheshire police spokesman has condemned the act of vandalism and says the consequences could have been severe. He added: "It is not clear at this stage why it has happened but it is highly dangerous for anyone to carry out such an act of this nature.

"They are risking serious injury or possibly even death as this particular pipeline is carrying high-pressure steam and if it is fractured, it would not be in anyone's interest to interfere with it."