Hosepipe vandals target OAP

10:20am Tuesday 13th May 2008

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VANDALS have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the home of a Cardigan pensioner by pushing a hosepipe through the letterbox and leaving water gushing into her home all night.

Olive McKilbride, who lives alone in a bungalow in Cnwc y Dintir, got up yesterday (Monday) morning to find water four inches deep in every room.

"I found I was paddling through water and thought at first I must have left a tap running, then I saw the hose with a fountain of water coming out of it through the back door into my kitchen," said Mrs McKilbride.

"This is a mindless act and very sad," she added.

Mrs McKilbride, who is hard of hearing and heard nothing after she went to bed at 10pm on Sunday, woke at 6.30am to find the damage.

Police officers, who have appealed for any witnesses to the incident to contact them urgently, spent Monday carrying out extensive house to house enquiries in the area.

"This is a very serious incident that has caused several thousands of pounds worth of damage to the home of an elderly person. We would ask that anyone who saw anything suspicious in this area between 10pm on Sunday and 7am Monday should contact us urgently," said a spokeswoman. Cardigan police can be contacted on 0845 330 2000.

Now the town's deputy Mayor-elect, Cllr Mark Cole, has called for the police presence to be stepped up in all areas of town.

"This behaviour has affected an elderly and vulnerable person and is absolutely disgraceful. We need a clear message to go out in this town that there are no safe areas for this kind of behaviour. "