VANDALS, who broke into the Bathurst open air bathing pool in Lydney at the weekend, left a trail of senseless destruction in their wake.

The intruders are believed to have entered the pool area using a ladder to climb the exterior wall.

They then smashed everything they could lay their hands on and threw the wreckage into the pool.

Greg Nash, vice chairman of the pool, said: “One of our members was driving past on Sunday morning and saw a ladder against the wall and went to investigate.

“It was absolute carnage. They smashed tables, chairs and fences and also children’s play equipment.

“There were about six or seven tables which cost about £500 each.

“It’s hard to put a value on it because a lot of stuff was donated to the trust which runs the facility.”

Given as a present to the ’inhabitants of Lydney and Aylburton’ by the Bathurst family in 1920, Bathurst Swimming Pool in Lydney is considered to be one of Gloucestershire’s best kept secrets.

The 38-metre outdoor pool is run by volunteers and open for at least ten weeks during the summer each year attracting about 16,000 visitors a year.