A private security firm is patrolling the Cogges Manor Farm Museum with guard dogs after a spate of vandalism, writes Suzanne Huband.

The Witney museum is run by West Oxfordshire District Council, and officers and councillors will be discussing what further steps to take to stop the damage.

The problems include damaged walls, broken windows and disturbing the farm's animals. In one recent incident, the windows in the kitchen in the main part of the old farmhouse were broken preventing cookery demonstrations on the old range for a day.

A security firm was brought in a few weeks ago and the vandalism stopped. The patrols ceased, but in the last couple of weeks trouble has started again. The chairman of the council's leisure and tourism committee, Cllr Louise Chapman, said: "It is pure mindless vandalism, and it is a great shame. We brought in security patrols with dogs, and in their opinion everything had settled down, so they did not think they were needed any longer.

"We are getting problems again and have re-started security patrols. We believe local youths may be involved, but the police have not been able to catch them in the act."