‘MINDLESS’ vandals are being hunted after a spate of criminal damage at a popular wildlife spot in Weymouth.

Dorset Police are investigating and CCTV is being looked at after vandals targeted the RSPB Discovery Centre at Radipole Lake three times in a week.

Patrols around the reserve have been stepped up in a bid to prevent further attacks.

Staff said they don’t know if it’s the same person or a group targeting them each time.

In the first incident, the centre’s ‘bug hotel’, an educational resource, was smashed up. This was followed two days later by a raid when more damage was caused including bottles left for recycling being smashed, leaving the patio area covered in glass. Two days after that, a small fire was started in a reed bed at the lake.

Michelle Williams, centre manager for the Wild Weymouth Discovery Centre said staff worked hard to create a facility for both families and traditional bird watchers and a lot of what had been damaged had been created by local people.

She said: “On the Friday night, that was the worst lot. They’d been out on to the patio area and ripped off the gate to the pond dipping platform.

“They overturned all the recycling equipment and smashed the bottles over the patio.”

She added: “It was a real mess really.

“It’s mindless vandalism.”

The recent spate of crimes has meant that additional security measures are being looked into.

Mrs Williams said: “We are working closely with police to identify the culprits. CCTV footage from cameras in the area are being checked.”

The centre will also be looking to get CCTV or covert cameras on the reserve.

Mrs Williams said: “We will be stepping up patrols and would ask all members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity around the lake area to Dorset Police.”