A 100-year-old village institute is slowly being destroyed by endless teenage vandalism, it is claimed.

The Barlow Institute and its grounds in Edgworth has suffered damage to windows, the nearby cricket pitch and bowling green.

Three £60 windows have been smashed by an air rifle in the past two weeks and a bird table, set up last October, was destroyed.

Geoff Hughes, clerk of North Turton Parish Council, told colleagues: "Even the parish noticeboard has been vandalised. Last weekend someone tried to set fire to the cricket club but luckily some players put it out.

"It's been going on for two years and it has to stop. It's dreadful because we have such a beautiful building and it's being destroyed by an endless barrage of vandalism."

The institute, given to the village in 1894 by the locally-born Barlow family, caters for recreation from bowling and tennis to rounders and hockey, while the building is used for functions, meetings and is home to Edgworth Youth Club.

Coun Dave Smith said: "You only have to walk around the place to see exactly what's happening. They throw things on the bowling green and smash the windows. There's a bus service to Edgworth after 6pm so kids see the institute as an ideal place to congregate.

"There is a problem in the village in that there's nothing for the children to do. We've tried to get an all-weather pitch up and running behind the institute but it keeps being knocked back. We don't seem to have an answer at the moment."

Sgt Ann Scott, of Darwen Police, appealed for residents to report any crimes as only one damage incident has been recorded at the institute since January.