VANDALS caused damage estimated at thousands of pounds when they went on the rampage with a digger taken from a chapel of rest.

The digger crashed into a perimeter wall sending stones hurtling into the river, knocked down part of a compound used for storing gas bottles and scoured a car park surface.

The damage was discovered when workers at Premier Gas, Parliament Street, Burnley, arrived for work. Director, Charles Maybury, said: "The digger was being used for some work being carried out at the chapel of rest door.

"It was the only time the digger has been left.

"Someone has started it up and driven it round our car park knocking down part of the wall into the river and damaging the compound and car park surface.''

Mr Maybury added: "It is amazing that someone can come along and start one of these things up.

"The police thought it may have been children. But the machine had to be started up and then controlled to manoeuvre around the area.''

Anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area between 5.30pm on Wednesday and 7.50am yesterday is asked to contact Burnley police on 425001.

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