AN ANGRY boss has warned a company may quit Accrington after a campaign of destruction by mindless vandals has forced it to pay out £70,000 in repairs.

The latest attack at Vitafoam, Dale Street, cost the company almost £10,000 and puts the jobs of the company's 57 staff at risk.

Vandals cut through a fence at the rear of the factory compound and emptied valuable silicon liquid from two plastic barrels, causing it flow into the drains and under the factory door.

General manager Alan Stackhouse believes the company could now call time on Accrington and move out after 11 years in the town.

He said: "We have reached the point where we are looking at the viability of the site. The bottom line is that you can't go paying out so much money. "All our jobs are being put at risk because of it."

The factory, which is involved in the foam production process and makes shoe shine, has been the target of serious vandalism over the last four years.

Only two weeks ago it was forced to stop part of its production for almost four days when vandals climbed on to the roof and filled the extractor fan with bricks at night.

When switched on, the fan was smashed and the company lost £30,000 in turnover while it was replaced.

Staff have even been attacked and verbally abused by youths throwing stones from the railway line which runs at the rear of the premises. Over the last four years there have been numerous other acts of vandalism including:

Four heavy goods vehicle trailers destroyed by fire.

One lorry cab destroyed by fire.

Part of the building damaged by fire.

Staff cars broken into.

Mr Stackhouse blames teenage hooligans for the problems and branded them "urban terrorists" .

He said: "If they were stealing for profit it would be different, but this is just vandalism. These kids don't know what they are doing."

The company, part of Manchester-based British Vita, has spent thousands on security measures, including steel fences, razor wire, cameras and alarms.

It has also had to pick up the bill for vandalism because the costs have not been big enough to be covered by its insurance.

The police have been informed about the vandalism and are investigating the latest attack.

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