CCTV cameras are to be installed in Wellington Park by the end of this year in a bid to deter vandalism.

The park has often been reported as a location for “mindless vandalism” and local councillors are hoping to crackdown on the problems.

The council’s open spaces manager Darren Hill told members of Wellington Town Council’s environment committee on October 22 that CCTV would be installed at the park in early December.

The town council took ownership of the park from cash-strapped Somerset Council at the beginning of April and had continued to the lock the park and the Playing Field at night.

But locking the park at night to stop people from getting in and causing mayhem had proved completely pointless – as most of the problems happened at night.

Money saved from not having to lock and unlock the park gates each day will be spent on the installation of CCTV.

The council’s chief executive and town clerk, Dave Farrow, reported back in the summer that the vandalism problems had reached a level where “enough is enough.”

“The vast majority of the problems that take place in Wellington Park happen after we’ve locked the gates of an evening - so basically locking the gates at night serves no purpose whatsoever,” he said.

Mr Farrow said the council had checked with the health and safety executive about people walking through the park at night and signs would have to go up to warn about potential hazards.

The toilets, bandstand and shelter had all been targeted by vandals, while plants had also been ripped up – with the finger of blame being firmly pointed in the direction of young people. But Mr Farrow said that more upsetting was that some plants had actually been stolen from the park.

It is hoped that CCTV will catch the troublemakers on camera.