EXTRA police patrols have been requested by Ledbury Town Council after several incidents of vandalism took place in the Walled Garden, close to St Michael and All Angel's Church.

At least once bench has been badly damaged recently, and it required urgent repairs.

The vandalism in the beauty spot has been a talking point on social media, causing both dismay and anger among Ledbury residents, with the finger being pointed by some at local youths, rightly or wrongly.

Posting on the Voice of Ledbury site on Facebook, Martin Gear said: "Ask your kids who is doing this? They will know. They probably won’t say for fear of reprisal. But the age group will know."

And Felicity Pepper added: Really! Is there any excuse for this sort of behaviour? please don’t use they don’t have anything else to do! Total disrespect on every level."

The town council has confirmed there has been more than once incident in the Walled Garden in recent weeks.

Town clerk, Angie Price told the Reporter: "There was recently further damage carried out to benches in the Walled Garden.

"A local resident has very kindly undertaken some repairs to the bench and we have also asked our groundsman to see if there is anything more he could do to help."

She added: "We have asked the police to undertake more patrols around the Walled Garden in an attempt to minimise these incidents."

The incidents of vandalism and littering are not just a recent matter, however.

In April, vandals removed a bench from the Walled Garden, carried it to the top of Dog Hill Wood, which overlooks Ledbury, and burnt the bench to ashes.

On that occasion too, police patrols were stepped up in the area, and the problems appeared to abated for a while.

Also earlier in the year, there was talk of closing the garden, after groups of people were spotted there, apparently flouting the rules on social distancing.

These concerns co-incided with incidents of vandalism.

Ledbury's Walled Garden, at the head of Church Lane, is one of Ledbury's most scenic spots.

It is always a focus for the Ledbury in Bloom campaign, because if its flower borders, flower beds and pleasant vistas.

It is not unusual, in spring and summers months, to see Ledbury in Bloom volunteers there, hard at work, making improvements.