VANDALS in a Hampshire town forced the closure of quayside toilets used by visiting sailors.

Members of Lymington Harbour Commissioners were told that the hooligans lit fires inside the building, ripped radiators from the walls and smashed mirrors.

Harbourmaster Ryan Willegers told members it was the worst case of vandalism he had seen in his ten years in the role.

He added: "The Town Quay has been subject to a spate of vandalism in recent weeks, culminating in the closure of the facility on safety grounds, pending repair work."

Mr Willegers said all the incidents had been reported to police, adding that officers would study CCTV footage from the district council's camera on the quayside in a bid to identify the culprits.

"We have also asked a local security company to install a secondary bolt to make forcing the door a more difficult proposition," he said.