FOOTBALL changing rooms have been targeted by vandals in a spate of attacks.

The facilities at Hulton Lane Playing Fields have become a hub for anti-social behaviour, one worried councillor says.

A number of smashed alcohol bottles have been found on the ground nearby, paint has been splashed on the doors, and the external wall has been damaged.

Last week yobs started a fire at the site and residents have been sharing their concerns with Conservative councillor Toby Hewitt.

Cllr Hewitt says he hopes a two-metre high steel fence will stop vandals targeting the site.

He said: “I’ve been speaking to people in the area about it for a while because it’s been going on for a long time.

“It’s less that there are concerns of anti-social behaviour in general but people are definitely worried that it was targeted in a fire.”

In April, plans to build a 2.1 metre high steel railing fence and gates around the changing room and toilets were approved by Bolton Council.

The security fence will be green in keeping with the area and one car bay will have to be removed to allow it to be installed.

Cllr Hewitt hopes that once the fences are up, it will be more difficult for youths to vandalise the buildings.

He added: “You’ve got to protect your assets. Hopefully it deters them or creates a barrier to mitigate the issue.

“Work hasn’t started on installing it yet but it's already been through the planning process so it's in the pipeline.”

The changing room and toilet facilities were opened at the playing fields as part of an £820,000 park development in 2017.

The improvements which were initially tabled in 2014, also included new pitches, a playing area and multi-use playing field.

Shortly after officially opening, the changing rooms were badly damaged by arsonists in August, 2017.

A wheelie bin was set on fire and pushed next to the changing rooms. The fire service had to cut their way into the changing rooms to deal with it. They later described the damage as significant and the incident as “wanton destruction”.

Residents also complained of noise and drug use at the site.