THE 'senseless' destruction of a life-saving defibrillator at a football clubhouse is part of a surge in vandalism across the Marston area according to residents and councillors.

Yobs smashed up a defibrillator after breaking into the Marston Saints Football Club at Boults Lane on February 14, and left the site in disarray, with paint strewn around the club house and rubbish left behind.

Vice chairman at the club Sam White, 24, said that he arrived on the scene at about midday the next day to find a complete mess.

He said: “The defibrillator was just in pieces and it had been scattered all over the car park and around the club building.

“Until very recently we haven’t seen vandalism like that but in just a few months there has been damage to trees and allotments and with litter being thrown about and left behind.

“But that has only been in the last few months, before that we hadn’t seen very much of it at all.

“It is frustrating more than anything, the club went to a lot of effort to bid for this defibrillator. It was left outside so that the community could use it not just us, we didn’t keep it locked up.

“The absolute worst thing would be if somebody in the allotments for example needed to use it and you can’t do anything about it because it’s gone.”

Dick Tracey, Division Commander for South Central Ambulance Service has been leading a campaign, supported by the Oxford Mail, to ensure that no one in Oxfordshire is more than 10 minutes away from a public defibrillator.

He said: "All vandalism is pointless exercise but to vandalise something that could save somebody's life is disgusting.

"It is possible that the vandals didn't consider that it may be one day needed for their friends and family and people close to them."

The British Heart Foundation, which installed the kit on October 16 at a cost of £1,500, called it a 'senseless' act to ruin a piece of equipment which is designed to save lives.

Meanwhile, police are now appealing for witnesses to contact them on 101, and the latest act of vandalism in Marston comes only a few months after Mortimer Hall recreation ground was torn up.

In November park benches were set alight at the Marston field and trees were felled, including a memorial tree put up for parish councillor Roy Jones who died in May 2014, aged 78.

Marston councillor Mick Haines said of the latest act of vandalism: "There is at the moment an issue of vandalism in Marston. They are targeting this area.

“It is a big concern at the moment and it is just senseless damage that they are causing. It’s scandalous as far as I’m concerned.

“It has just stared happening only recently, nothing like this has happened before the recent attacks like at the Mortimer Hall recreation ground.

“I have not heard that much from the police but I don’t see them around much recently.

“It is quite alarming for residents. I think probably a bigger police presence in that area at the moment would be a good idea.”