PERSISTENT vandalism at Winsford Flash Sailing Club has officials at the club up in arms and warning they will not hesitate to prosecute the culprits.

Tony Walsh, club commodore, is urging parents to stop their youngsters trespassing in order to swim off the club's land and illegally use members' boats moored there.

Mr Walsh is also concerned that children and teenagers playing around the water's edge could contract Weil's disease from rat's urine and warned that blue-green algae and other contaminates could cause serious health problems.

He added that rude youngsters have rebuffed members' attempts to explain the situation and warn the youths of the dangers of playing around the flashes.

He said: "We have to make it clear that we will prosecute any unauthorised persons who are found on our land.

"The entrance gate is kept locked so anyone who is found on our land must be assumed to have entered illegally. There is CCTV and last year the police successfully prosecuted two young people for vandalism.

"At this time of year youngsters and teenagers find themselves with time on their hands and nothing to do.

"Our members' sailing dinghies are fragile craft made from plywood and glass-fibre and it is easy to cause major damage to them. Repairs are expensive and eventually add to the insurance premiums we have to pay.

"We have always encouraged the local people of Winsford and surrounding districts to come down to our club and to experience sailing for themselves, but with legislation as it is and the culture of compensation, we cannot allow children to use our land unsupervised."

rfraser@guardiangrp.co.uk