VANDALS and hooligans are being targeted by town hall bosses for destroying state-of-the-art bus shelters across Warrington.

The move comes as the borough council celebrated the installation of the 260th and final Adshel shelter in Sulby Avenue, yesterday, Wednesday.

All of the shelters have been installed free of charge by Adshel over the past two years and are aimed at promoting public transport by improving the waiting areas.

The borough council had been hoping to discuss plans with Adshel to install more shelters in specific areas of the town - but they have been held back by a spate of incidents which has seen some shelters totally destroyed by mindless vandals.

Clr John Joyce, chairman of the environmental services committee, said: "There have been 400 incidents since these shelters were introduced, quite a number of which have involved the shelters being absolutely destroyed by hooligans and vandals.

"It appears they take pleasure in destroying a community facility that is of benefit to those less well-off, the disabled and the elderly.

"If they get pleasure in doing it, there is something sick about them and they are a disgrace to society."

He went on to urge people who see the shelters being destroyed to call police on 652222, the transport section of the town hall on 444400 or their local councillor.