A PAIR of youths have been charged with criminal damage in Portishead after an attack at one of the town’s primary schools.

Last month security measures at Trinity Primary School in the Village Quarter had to be stepped up after eight lighting bollards in the staff car park were smashed and in some cases ripped up. The estimate for repairs is �4,000.

Following enquiries, police arrested a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old from Portishead and both have been charged to North Somerset Youth Court on January 5 for the offence.

PC Matt Christie of Portishead Police Station said: “The SSN team will be looking to place the youths on Acceptable Behaviour Contracts to control their behaviour and work with them to stop this type of incident recurring.”

The Portishead Safer Stronger Neighbourhood (SSN) team has stepped up patrols at the Village Quarter estate since residents highlighted antisocial behaviour as a priority at the November PACT (Partners and Communities Together) meeting.

In addition, the Village Quarter residents raised concerns about the increase in antisocial behaviour in other parts of the town, including the car park by McDonald’s in Wyndham Way and the precinct in High Street.

Young people historically move from the Lake Grounds where they meet in the summer, to areas where they can get a degree of shelter in winter. The police say they are aware of this, have increased high visibility patrols in these areas and will continue to crack down on nuisance behaviour.

PC Christie added: “If any reports of ASB are made to the police they will be dealt with swiftly and robustly.”