DRUNKEN youngsters have been going on a summer spree of destruction at a Chandler's Ford recreation ground.

It comes a year after local councillors backed a call for a bylaw to be introduced to ban the drinking of alcohol on the Hiltingbury Recreation Ground.

The local area committee also supported a move for closed-circuit television cameras to be installed to help police crackdown on the drunken yobs.

It was local councillor Colin Davidovitz who called for drinking to be outlawed at the Hiltingbury Rec and for CCTV.

Now he says a year has gone by and nothing has happened. Horrified at the latest act of vandalism to hit the recreation ground, Cllr Davidovitz has urged the borough council to speed up plans to protect the area.

In the latest attack two young saplings, newly-planted to replace young trees which had died or had been vandalised, have been destroyed.

Cllr Davidovitz told the Daily Echo: "The evidence of spirit bottles and beer cans scattered around the site indicates that this criminal damage is alcohol related."

He believed that strong cider coupled with vodka put the young drinkers in such a state of mind that they did not know where they were.

It was during these booze binges that the recreation ground became the target for an orgy of destruction. During his daily walk with his dog, Cllr Davidovitz says he can survey the unsightly left overs from the night before.

He said: "In the morning you can see a great pile of bottles on the cricket square and cigarette packets.

"This has become a drinking location and it is particularly bad in the summer months."

Cllr Davidovitz said the bylaw banning drinking was a perfect remedy that the government had given to local authorities.

He said: "A year ago our local area committee voted unanimously to support my request that a bylaw be introduced to ban the drinking of alcohol on this site and to have CCTV installed to help the police enforce law and order here.

"So far nothing has materialised and I shall be calling on the council to let me have a report on the progress and target date for these measures.

"Residents are entitled to insist that the council progresses these measures which have been agreed for their protection."

But council spokesman Steve Collins said the borough did not have enough money to install CCTV without the help of outside funding, which "had not been forthcoming so far".

He added: "Following the Chandler's Ford and Hiltingbury Local Area Committee resolution to seek to promote a bylaw, the council has been seeking first-hand evidence to demonstrate the need for a restriction to be placed on drinking in public places, and this research is ongoing."

But Cllr Grahame Smith, chairman of the area committee, hinted that CCTV could be installed fairly soon.

He said: "The Hiltingbury recreation project is currently being developed with local residents and users of the recreation ground.

"Proposals for the refurbishment of the site will be presented to the area committee this autumn and plans for CCTV will be included in this project."

Meanwhile Cllr David-ovitz has appealed for anyone who witnesses criminal activity taking place to call the police immediately on 0845 045 4545.

Vandals have repeatedly attacked buildings and destroyed sports facilities at Hiltingbury Recreation Ground.

A cricket match had to be cancelled at the last minute after someone dug up part of the cricket square.

Skateboarding facilities, costing thousands of pounds, have also been wrecked during an attack by vandals.