Mindless vandals have left a trail of destruction at Maryport railway station, leaving volunteers devastated.

A large pane of glass on one of the new shelters has been broken and plants have been torn from tubs while litter was strewn about.

And it is not the only station to be targeted, according to Cumbria Community Rail Partnership officer Warren Birch.

British Transport Police are investigating an incident near Flimby last month when a woman received an eye injury when yobs threw stones at a train, breaking the window where she was sitting.

Flimby station has been adopted by the village school to try and foster pride and reduce vandalism.

Maryport station was also recently adopted by town promotions group Maryporters. Members, along with community volunteers spent hours at the station planting flower tubs and generally making it a welcoming gateway to the town. Boards telling of Maryport’s Roman history have been erected along a platform which has been newly re-surfaced.

The work was part of train company Northern's efforts to promote Maryport as a destination.

Maryporters’ chairman Debbie Wright said: “This would bring you to tears. The volunteers and the company have worked so hard to make the station something to be proud of. It really makes you wonder if there is any point but if you give up the vandals win.”

Neighbours Alan and Sally Watson have taken special pride in the station. Alan, a gardening contractor, has helped the volunteers tidy it up, removing unwanted growth and planting the flower tubs.

The couple said they have rang the police on numerous occasions when they have seen children congregating there but by the time the police can react the children are gone.

“And they are children,” Mrs Watson said, “There is one who looks as though he is about 10 and the others appear to be very young teenagers.”

Mr Birch added: “I find this increasingly frustrating. A great deal of hard work and effort has been put in by a number of groups including the Maryporters, Northern and Community Rail Cumbria to improve both the appearance and facilities for the local community using this station. This has recently been recognised by the Royal Horticultural Society and Cumbria in Bloom for the national Britain in Bloom Awards 2019.”

More than £1 million has been spent in recent years creating a free car park for rail users and improving links between the station and the town.

Mr Birch will ask local police officers to meet the volunteers to discuss options to combat the vandalism.

He said Northern is also in the process of upgrading CCTV in the area which will help identify the vandals.