THE laughing vandal has struck again - and takeaway boss Therese Sullivan fears she could be the victim of a vendetta.

Therese, who runs the Red Rose Eat Inn in London Road, has become the target of pointless graffiti twice in a week, each time waking up to find the words 'Ha Ha Ha' daubed across the front of her shop.

Following the first incident last Wednesday, Therese told the Citizen she did not want to re-open and said she had had numerous problems since buying the take-away last year.

Then three days after the first attack Therese has had to remove more graffiti, this time yellow paint was smeared across her shop, her neighbour's home and a nearby pub.

Police say they believe the first incident was committed by a man who has since been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. They are continuing to investigate the second.

But Therese said: "Why would someone to do this again? It seems so pointless.

"I can't see what I have done to deserve this. The police say they had got someone so perhaps this is someone's idea of a joke.

"If it is, it isn't very funny because it is humiliating to have to scrape paint off the front of the shop. Not once, but twice."

A Preston Police spokesman said: "We are aware of this incident and we are continuing to investigate. Anyone with any information should call (01772) 203203.

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