Save Tangmere Tower Team work with police to help stop 'persistent vandalism' of former RAF tower

Vandalism at the former RAF Tower was reported in the late hours of October 21 where trespassers were seen smashing off blocks.

In a statement the Save Tangmere Tower Team said: We have been working with Sussex Police and Chichester Police and with other agencies. Any vandalism must be reported.

"We are working with owners and their agents to secure the site. This is due to persistent vandalism. We are working in partnership with Chichester Police and others to mitigate these issues.”

The vandalism comes shortly after work was set to begin at the Tower, with the first day of the restoration of the project set to take place on October 29.

The building is the last remaining derelict structure of World War II in the village of Tangmere.

It is also hosted the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, in his first flying lesson in 1968.

But RAF Tangmere closed its doors in 1970.

The control tower itself was Grade II listed in 2011 and placed on the heritage at risk register by the campaign in 2015.

The building project, led by architects Meynell Hayes Ltd, will include removing brick work and surveys, including a full buildings condition survey.

The vandalism has also elicited a strong reaction from local residents.

On Facebook, Andrew Colicutt said: “In my 60 years, I have never understood the mindlessness of vandalism. It achieves nothing, satisfies nothing and just seems to hark back to some men’s basic instinct, to destroy anything for the sake of it.

"I hope this building gets properly restored and put back into use either for the museum or local community.

“I live only 5 minutes away and the grounds of the house I live in bear the scar of a German bomb crater obviously meant for Tangmere as it’s more or less in line with the main runway.”

Resident Steve James also agreed with the lack of respect by the vandals for the building.

He said: “I think it shows the true mentality of the vandals.

“They cannot appreciate anything now unless it is of value to them.

“Prior sacrifice or the values of others, mean nothing to them at all.”