FURIOUS gardeners on a vandal-plagued allotment said they will pack up their tools unless security is stepped up.

Vandals struck at the Feniscliffe allotment site in Cherry Tree, Blackburn, destroying five greenhouses and leaving debris on 20 plots. Allotment-holders said it was the final straw and they had no choice but to abandon their greenhouses until the site was made secure.

But Blackburn with Darwen Council says the £35-a-year rent paid on the 50 vegetable plots it owns on the Green Lane site is not enough to justify round-the-clock surveillance.

The attacks have come weeks before the annual allotment competition which several gardeners were planning to enter.

Mike Hoyle, 55, secretary of the Feniscliffe allotments, said: "This is pure wilful damage - smashing up the gardens for no reason whatsoever. We are all disgusted.

"This is the third time my plot has been vandalised. It is really sickening and we are being intimidated off the site."

Greg Whittle, 53, of Boxwood Drive, spent more than £100 repairing broken windows and damaged plants in the past two weeks before his greenhouse was destroyed.

Mr Whittle, a previous plot prize winner in the contest, intends to leave his vegetable garden in a mess for the competition to bolster his bid for increased security.

He said: "They have ruined the greenhouse and buckled all the frames by throwing breeze blocks. The council now need to see how bad it really is. I am not bothering with a greenhouse any more until the site is made secure. We are all furious."

A perimeter fence was built by the council several years ago but plotholders, backed by local councillors, said this was not enough.

Coun Edward Harrison, of the neighbouring Meadowhead ward, which has also been targeted by vandals, described the vandals as "totally out-of-control low life".

He added: "We need uniformed patrols to act as a deterrent so that people will think twice before they ruin other people's pleasure."

Council leisure spokeswoman Coun Kate Hollern said: "This act of wanton vandalism sickens me.

"It is pointless and I wish to convey my sympathy to the allotment holders.

"While we appreciate this vandalism is unacceptable and would urge anyone who knows who is responsible to contact the police.

"It is just not possible or practical for us to be able to fund round the clock security or monitored CCTV at a huge cost. We do provide funding to support an allotment secretary whose role it is to report back to us any problems with the sites."