Vandals fail to halt firm's open day

Buy photos » John Nicholls manager Noel Monahan with some of the bulk bags cut open by vandals, leaving materials strewn all over the builders yard.

VANDALS trashed a builders and plumbers merchants the day before it was due to hold a specially arranged open day.

Staff at John Nicholls were left picking up the pieces last Thursday morning (May 31) after arriving only to find lorries, vans and stock had been badly damaged.

Tyres were slashed, hoses were cut and hundreds of bulk bags carrying materials ripped open in the middle of the night at the Cottage Leap yard.

Those responsible had even glued together the lock of the main doors leading into the site.

And to add insult to injury, the vandals struck in the middle of the night when just hours later an open day was due to be held, with special guests including Rugby's Mayor Kathryn Lawrence, due to attend.

But the attack did not stop it from going ahead, with John Nicholls' staff determined not to let it put a stop to proceedings.

John Nicholls spokeswoman, Kirsten Warwick, said the open day had been well advertised and believed the attack could have been timed to disrupt it.

She said: "We can't think anyone would attack us like this other than that they knew we were having our open day and wanted to ruin things for us.

"It's a very sad and petty thing to do, but I think they were quite well organised - they knew exactly what they wanted to do and how to cause the most amount of damage.

"They climbed over the fence, but I'm not sure how as it's quite high and is sticky at the top."

It is thought the costs of the damage done will run into the thousands, and while the firm is fully insured getting back to normal will take time and its insurance premiums are likely to rise.

CCTV cameras captured the vandals, but because they wore masks police have said it could prove difficult to trace them.

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