VANDALS targeted a charity sign in the latest wave of damage at Poundbury.

They attacked the sign on the St John Ambulance building in Bridport Road, sending the large metal letters crashing down to gravel below, said Stephanie Allan, the charity's county executive officer.

She said the culprit was believed to have used a long pole or plank to dislodge the metal letters.

Only two letters in the word ambulance had been left in place. The words St John had escaped the damage.

Dislodged letters had been found damaged and chipped and with fixings damaged.

She said: "There will be a cost for us in replacing these letters. Because of the height of them and for health and safety reasons we will have to get a scaffold tower in to get up there.

"I'm afraid it can't be done by a man and a ladder."

Inspector Les Fry of Dorchester Police said: "These letters are not easy to reach so someone must have used something to get at them. It means that a charity has to pay for this instead of being able to use its funds for helping people. The building is clearly visible and it may be that someone saw something.

"We would urge anyone who saw the incident or who may have seen someone acting suspiciously in the area of the St John Ambulance building to get in touch." Vandals have previously struck at Poundbury including a spate of graffiti last year.

The electricity sub station on Holmead Walk was daubed with graffiti on several occasions and people living nearby said that it had become a magnet for vandals.

Residents have also reported damage to plants and ornamental pots outside their houses. Anyone with information on the latest vandalism is asked to contact Dorset Police on 01305 222222 or contact Crimestoppers.