Mystery of dismantled brick walls worrying residents in Ashton

Mystery surrounds the removal of bricks from walls in a leafy area of Ashton.

Police have been asked to look into ongoings in Whinfield Lane, Ashton, after several residents reported bricks being taken from the bottom of their garden walls and gateposts.

One couple said their property has been targeted eight times in recent weeks, with removed bricks being used to smash living room and bathroom windows.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s a spate of mindless vandalism.

“There’s quite a few walls been done in this area, it needs stamping out.”

Another woman said: “It’s very bizarre. For the past few weeks, bricks keep disappearing from the bottom of my mum’s wall.

“It’s not that people are sitting on it and kicking it, because there’s a hedge behind it and you can’t do that.

“The bricks aren’t anything special and they’re not being taken away either, they’re just left in gardens or on the footpath.

“It seems to be absolutely mindless, nuisance behaviour.

“These are older, more vulnerable people, and quite rightly, they are worrying about being liable for a wall collapse onto the footpath, and just don’t want this going on at their property.”

Lancashire Constabulary have been notified of the concerns by several residents, and house visits have been made by officers.

The first woman added: “They said there’s very little they can do unless it’s caught on CCTV.”

Lancashire Police were unavailable for comment when approached by the Post.