A youth shelter designed to cut antisocial behaviour and vandalism in part of Abingdon has been removed a victim of vandals and angry neighbours.

In one incident a group of youths picked up the metal, graffiti-covered shelter in Appleford Drive and dumped it on a nearby footpath.

Residents have welcomed the decision to remove it. Retired engineer Keith Plummer, 86, said: "Our worst fears have been realised. We had concerns about the shelter but people were prepared to give it a chance.

"Unfortunately, it attracted nothing but trouble. Youths congregated around it, drinking, smoking and causing trouble. Beer cans, spirit bottles and rubbish littered the area. Enough was enough."

The £7,000 shelter was put up two years ago following requests from youths for a meeting place instead of hanging around shops on the Peachcroft estate.

Insp Christian Bunt, of Abingdon police, said: "The shelter was a pioneering move and put up at the request of young people but unfortunately it has been abused. We consulted local residents and they wanted it removed.

"The shelter will be relocated to another part of the Vale district but a decision on where it will be sited has not yet been taken."

Community safety officer Bill Jones said that the shelter had been installed on the understanding that residents would be consulted later about whether it should remain.

He said: "The overwhelming opinion was that the shelter should be removed because of the bad behaviour of a minority.

"People said it was attracting older teenagers from outside the area, leading to litter and antisocial behaviour."

Insp Bunt denied the success of a dispersal order stopping youths congregating in the Peachcroft area had displaced the problem to Appleford Drive and the shelter. He said: "We had been experiencing some antisocial behaviour problems around the shelter for some time before the order was put in."