Angmering surgery attacked by vandals

Eight windows were smashed over the weekend, and mud was smeared over other windows. Builders spent Monday clearing broken glass from the waiting area, just days before the centre was due to host the first of two open days (see details below).

The vandalism followed another incident the previous weekend when another window was broken.

Janet Rogers, practice manager for the new centre and for the Coppice Surgery, Rustington, said staff could not believe what had happened.

"We have waited for more than 15 years to find a suitable site for a new surgery in Angmering, which is desperately needed. We finally find something, and the first thing they do is try to wreck it.

"We would appeal to villagers to keep a look out for anything suspicious happening in the surgery area, and report it, immediately, to the police."

The vandalism in Angmering was among a spate of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour across Littlehampton, Rustington, East Preston and Angmering for the third weekend in a row.

The pattern has been for crowds of youths to be seen drinking in an area, and the following morning police have received reports of a trail of damaged garage doors, fence panels and cars.

A police spokeswoman warned that police would be taking positive action to arrest anyone found committing such offences, and letters would be sent to parents alerting them to their children being in the group of troublemakers.

The new medical centre at Angmering will be open for business on April 18, with the two open afternoons planned for Thursday, April 6 and Tuesday, April 11, both from 2-4pm.

Members of the centre's patient participation group will show visitors around and provide tea and coffee.

The centre, at The Thatchway, will replace the existing cramped branch surgery at Cumberland Road, and will have facilities including practice nurse clinics, phlebotomy appointments, child immunisations and midwife's clinic.