Thoughtless thugs left a group of volunteers to clean up their mess after they squirted sticky gel all over a bench in a city suburb.

The group also left discarded bottles and cans behind in the communal area in Clover Hill's Waldegrave.

Maureen Tierney, who lives in Rawley Road, said the yobs had ruined the asset for everyone else.

%image(14495540, type="article-full", alt="The community benches in Waldegrave had litter left on them and sprayed with a sticky gel")

The 81-year-old said: "It's disgusting what people do.

"It makes me very angry.

"Things like the benches and other similar items cost a lot of money. A small number of people think it's just theirs to do what they want with.

%image(14495541, type="article-full", alt="Maureen Tierney, 81, said: "It's disgusting what people do"")

"The benches are for the community but are ruined with writing and drawings scrawled all over them.

"It's horrid and uncalled for.

"It's so unnecessary but some people think they can just do what they want."

%image(14495542, type="article-full", alt="The benches are located in Waldegrave, NR5")

Jon Watson, who is part of the Bowthorpe Neighbourhood Watch, noticed the vandalism happening on Saturday 13.

The 36-year-old said: "A group in Waldegrave made a complete mess of the area and sprayed the benches with a sticky gel.

"They were very quick to leave - while shouting abuse at us - when we arrived on the scene.

%image(14476295, type="article-full", alt="Jon Watson, lead co-ordinator of Bowthorpe Neighbourhood Watch group")

"There were bottles of water left behind which we used to clean the benches so they could be used by the community again.

"We then picked up all their litter."

Another neighbour in the area, Luca Harrison who lives off Clover Hill Road, said the vandalism is "a common occurrence".

The 31-year-old said: "I think it's down to people being bored.

%image(14495543, type="article-full", alt="The Bowthorpe Neighbourhood Watch cleaned the bench and cleared up the litter")

"Some will have very little to do and a minority will act maliciously.

"They then end up completely ruining things for everyone else.

"More benches around here are being made of plastic.

"People seem to think: 'Oh I can melt this' or 'I can draw graffiti' over it all.

%image(14495544, type="article-full", alt="Luca Harrison, 31, who lives off Clover Hill Road")

"It's a normality here because there's not much to do.

"So this area will be vandalised and so will the nearby park.

"It's a shame because it could be a nice area.

"But when something nice is placed here a small group of people will think of what they can do to ruin it."