Police and councillors hope a vandal-proof youth shelter could help combat the growing trend of petty vandalism in Didcot.

Senior police officers are backing the idea, and the town council is trying to find a suitable site that will not face objections from residents.

Insp Ian Beckett, of Didcot police, said a £1,000 mobile shelter, to provide somewhere for youngsters to meet, could be installed on a trial basis and removed if it was unuccessful. He added: "In the event of the trial being successful, a more permanent structure could be put up and the mobile shelter moved on."

He said a youth shelter in Marcham had been regarded as a successful experiment in helping reduce anti-social behaviour.

In just two months, damage to children's play areas has cost Didcot Town Council more than £5,000.

Bill Atkinson, the chairman of the environment committee, said: "We can't let it continue to happen.

"A youth shelter wouldn't be a complete answer to the problem, but it may help to divert older youngsters away from the young children's play areas at night."

The latest problem is a spate of what town council technical manager Brenda Andrews described as "deliberate wanton vandalism" to children's play equipment.

During the past two months, the refurbished sports pavilion at Edmonds Park was broken into and electrical fittings smashed, a pavilion door was damaged by fire and two attempts were made to set fire to play equipment at the park.