Concerns have been raised over a lack of police presence in Biddulph after one of the town's beauty spots was targeted by vandals.

The Newpool Meadows village green has been subjected to "several acts of vandalism in recent weeks" according to an update on the green's Facebook page.

The attacks have led those who work to maintain the green to raise concerns over the "almost non-existent" police patrols in the area.

Biddulph resident Ellen Faulkner was part of the Newpool Meadows Action Group, who previously fought to get the beauty spot designated as a village green in order to save the area from the threat of housing developments.

Now Ellen and a range of other volunteers work to cultivate local wildlife and plants on the green, and the area is also used as an educational spot for the town's schools to visit.

Discussing the vandalism, she said: "Unfortunately we have had several acts of vandalism in recent weeks.

"Bird boxes have been torn down and smashed, the gate and sign on the boardwalk have been smashed and the sign destroyed, and the bird feeding station has been destroyed.

"All the above are maintained and were installed and paid for by local volunteers. I'm feeling really disheartened about the situation. Most of our volunteers are elderly and the tasks aren't always easy.

"It's soul destroying. I wish someone could tell me what kick people get out of these acts."

She is now planning on writing to the local Police and Crime Commissioner after struggling to contact the force via 101.

She added: "I intend to write to the Staffordshire police commissioner Matthew Ellis regarding the lack of police presence in and around Biddulph.

"Getting through on the phone to report a incident is an almost impossible task - today I tried and gave up on getting through to the 101 number.

"I then tried the live chat - what a joke. It wanted to know my age and ethnicity, heaven knows why. Quite a lot of typing later I was just told to ring 101 again, wasting an hour of my day and getting nowhere.

"We need a manned 24-hour-a-day police presence post in Biddulph."

Ellen's concerns have since been echoed by residents, with one saying: "Totally agree - with the size of the town and the population we need one, surely there's plenty of room in the fire station to accommodate them?

"We pay for policing, or is it the empty police cars sitting outside the town hall that we're contributing to?"

Another added: "Yes we need a police presence here, not miles away when someone's life could be in danger."

Biddulph Nub News has contacted Staffordshire Police for comment.