A MAYOR and mayoress are planning to install CCTV at their block of flats after two young tearaways broke in and wrecked a communal hallway before escaping -- on sledges.

Councillors Doug and Sandra Hayes (pictured) want to club together with their neighbours in Kingfisher Court, Oswaldtwistle, to pay for the cameras in the hope it will ward off future attackers.

Mrs Hayes, Mayoress of Hyndburn, heard smashing coming from the communal hall beneath the couple's first floor flat.

By the time she had gone downstairs to investigate, two youngsters were running out of the hall, leaving behind them a trail of destruction.

She said today: "They had smashed up plant pots, strewn the flowers across the floor, wrecked Christmas decorations, including ceramic ones, and spat all over the hallway. By the time I had got down there they were running off."

She saw them disappear on their sledges towards Walter Street before she looked at the damage. She added: "Doug was going to follow them but I told him not to because he could have ended up in trouble himself.

"I cannot begin to understand what would possess someone to do this.

"These two hooligans have caused damage for no apparent reason.

"They could only have been about 11 or 12 years old yet they just smashed everything up, including our Christmas decorations."

The matter was not reported to the police because the residents believed it wouldn't achieve anything.

Installing CCTV to capture vandals on film is now both councillors' priority.

Mrs Hayes added: "It is expensive but we need to protect ourselves. At least it would mean we got the troublemakers on camera. It would hopefully deter them.

"I hope the parents of these youngsters read this and feel so ashamed that they punish their children and make them apologise."

A police spokesman said people shouldn't hesitate to report such incidents.