A BOY aged just seven has been caught as part of a gang vandalising a building in a town centre, say police.

Youngsters had broken into a yard behind Premier Tool Engineering and Arteology, an art supply shop, in Albert Road, Colne, intent on causing trouble.

The gang managed to break three windows on Saturday before they were caught by shop staff and the police were alerted.

Three of the youths, aged 11, 12 and 14, were issued with £40 fixed penalty notices for causing criminal damage.

But Colne police have confirmed that the fourth member of the group was aged just seven - and cannot be fined as he is officially under the age of criminal intent.

"Four youths were detained and we issued penalties to three of them. But one was just seven years old," said PC Andy Baldwin.

Sid James, who runs Premier Tool Engineering, said: "There were four youths involved, but they had to dispense with one of them because he was too young.

"They had run through the yard and broke three windows in a sliding door before they were stopped.

"We had had three windows broken in another sliding door before, but we cannot say how that happened.

"We have had trouble before, but there have been problems over the past two or three weeks. And around 12 months ago we had all the lead stolen off the roof.

"I am 60 years old and I relate things to how we behaved when I was younger. We got up to some things, but nothing like all this."

The incident is one of a number in the town involving young people causing problems, reported over the weekend.

Colne Cricket Club, in Keighley Road, had a number of windows smashed by youths in the early hours of Monday.

Damage estimated at £150 was caused by stone-throwing youngsters and glass bottles, retrieved from nearby bins, were smashed on bowling greens at The Horsfield venue.

Police issued £40 fixed penalty fines to two 13-year-old boys in relation to the incident.