VANDALS have smashed the windows of a Bicester nursery after throwing stones from a neighbouring "monster" footbridge.

Staff at Childfirst nursery, Launton Road, campaigned to stop the rail footbridge being built over fears it would put children at risk.

The bridge overlooks the nursery garden and over the weekend vandals smashed to opposite windows by throwing rocks from the bridge.

This is the second time the windows have been smashed in the past month.

Head of the nursery Andrea Leonard said: "We always thought the bridge was going to be an issue and stopped using that play garden as the bridge overhangs.

"It was something we were worried about from the very beginning.

"We already had to pay out £160 the first time, now it is going to be three times that as they have smashed three windows this time."

Mrs Leonard was alerted to the vandalism by a passer-by and found the glass shattered inside the nursery.

The incident which happened around 2.30pm yesterday has been reported to the police.

As part of the rail improvements between Oxford and Bicester, the bridge was installed to permanently replace Tubbs Crossing, between Launton Road and housing estate Langford Village.

When it was erected in May 2014 the nursery, which has 140 children, described it as "just unbelievable, it is a monster".