A SECURITY fence is to be put around Accrington ambulance station to tackle problems with vandalism.

The new fencing is to be put around the entire perimeter of the site at the request of staff to try to deter the vandals who have been persistently targeting it.

Mark Taylor, East Lancashire operations manager for the ambulance service, said: "We have seen an increase in problems over the last 18 months to two years.

"Some of the staff have had their cars broken into and damaged.

"We have a problem with young people hanging around the area. They have climbed on to the roof of the station.

"We have had to chain our wheelie bin up because they were using it as a trolley and we have had a couple of windows put through.

"We hope that if we get permission for the fence, it will put an end to all this. The nuisance factor has really become a problem and a high security fence will, hopefully, make the place more secure for staff and act as a deterrent to the troublemakers."

The fence will be part of a £76,000 package of improvements to the station, which includes installing better changing facilities for male and female staff and remodelling the toilets and showers.

New laundry facilities for staff uniforms will also be installed to bring the station in line with the recommendations of the Infection Control Committee.

Proposals for the improvements, including the fence, will be discussed at a meeting of the Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust board at Lancaster Town Hall, on Friday.

At the meeting, members of the board will be asked to approve the allocation of £76,000 from its capital funds to pay for the improvements.