Vandals smash more than 100 historic train carriage windows and cause £80,000 of damage

Vandals broke into Ruddington's Heritage Railway site and smashed more than 100 train carriage windows, causing more than £80,000 worth of damage in a single night.

The offenders, believed to be six teenagers, were said to have broken into the site at around 6pm on Monday, April 29 where they smashed 112 windows on three carriages.

At least one of the coaches was damaged to the point that is likely to end up being scrapped.

Police confirmed the vandals were disturbed by a person before cycling away and being lost from view somewhere within the Mere Way Business Park, close to the site.

This is not the first incident of vandalism at the site. The Great Central Railway, which lies next to Rushcliffe Country Park, has suffered ongoing spates of theft and vandalism, including multiple break ins to vehicles and buildings and "large-scale" damage over the last six to eight weeks, according to volunteers.

At least one of the coaches was damaged to the point that is likely to end up being scrapped (Great Central Railway)

A statement from the Great Central Railway said: "As an entirely volunteer-based museum and visitor attraction with no paid staff and no external funding, not only is this heartbreaking for all those volunteers who have put their time, effort and money into the various projects here at Ruddington, this is damage that we can ill afford to repair and in the case of at least one vehicle and maybe more when a full inspection is complete, certainly cannot afford to replace.

"We are requesting information on six teenagers aged between 14 to 16. Wearing black and grey tracksuit/hooded tops and one carrying a distinctive red satchel/shoulder type bag. There is a reward offered for information leading to successful arrest and conviction of the persons involved."

Nottinghamshire Police are now investigating and anyone with information is urged to call 101, quoting incident number 765 of April 29.

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