CIVIC chiefs say vandals in a Hampshire town could have caused a serious injury by snapping trees and the wooden stakes supporting them.

The damage to a row of saplings beside a petanque court at Emsworth Road in Lymington left dangerous spikes sticking out of the ground.

Maintenance workers employed by New Forest District Council were called out to make the area safe.

A Lymington and Pennington Town Council spokesperson said: "The petanque court is the latest public facility to be hit by a wave of mindless vandalism, which this time involved ornamental pear trees.

"Four of the eight trees were destroyed and the surrounding fencing was also damaged, which left dangerous stubs protruding from the ground.

"It resulted in an emergency call-out to make the area safe.

"This along with other recent acts of vandalism is likely to increase insurance premiums once again and will be a cost to the local taxpayer."

The privately-funded trees were planted three years ago.

Cllr Barry Dunning, a former mayor, said: "If someone had fallen on one of the vandalised stakes it could have caused a nasty injury.

"It's very disappointing when one or two thoughtless individuals damage their own property, which it is really because it's a public amenity."

The cost of the hooliganism is still being assessed but council chiefs fear it could be as high as £700.

A police spokesman said: "We were called to a report that a number of trees had been damaged at a public open space in Lymington. Trees had been ripped out of the ground and damage caused to fencing."

A few months ago vandals were accused of endangering people's lives by putting a vital piece of equipment out of action.

Council bosses criticised hooligans who targeted a sports pavilion at Woodside Park, wrecking a cabinet containing a defibrillator and hurling the device to the ground.

It was undamaged but could not be used until a new cabinet was attached to the front of the pavilion.

Speaking at the time Cllr Dunning said: "I was very disappointed to see the damage sustained to a vital piece of equipment - it was mindless action with no regard to the consequences."

In other incidents hooligans wrecked a treehouse in Woodside Gardens and set fire to a trampoline at Lymington Meadows.

Anyone with information about the latest vandalism should call Hampshire police on 101, quoting crime reference number 44180459752.