VANDALS attempted to wreck Helsby station eight months after dignitaries unveiled a plaque naming it the Best Kept Station in Cheshire.

Yobs smashed windows, damaged the signal-box, ripped apart hanging baskets and painted the platform at the award-winning station.

A group of youths were spotted at the station before the evening attack. Six boys, believed to be from Helsby were at the station for about 45 minutes. A mixed group of teenagers got off the 1711 train from Runcorn and Frodsham, met up with the others and were seen 'messing around'.

Pauline Jenkinson, of the North Cheshire Rail Users' Group's (NCRUG) working group, which looks after the station, was tidying up the gardens that evening. She said she left her brush on another platform which was picked up by youths.

'I spoke to them and they told me to **** off,' she said. 'They had broken the brush handle and took that up the road.'

The station was later discovered with smashed windows, including four panes in one window of the signal box, and letters had been painted using green paint that had been used to renovate the signal box.

Sgt Jayne O'Brien, of British Transport Police, said they were making house-to-house inquiries to see if anyone witnessed anything and forensic teams were working on the scene.

She added that the letters painted on platform two - 'KEF/KP/FOWLLEA' - 'could be initials'.

Sgt O'Brien added: 'It has just won the best kept station award and basically it is the community's responsibility, because they are getting these awards and Helsby is being mentioned so it's up to us all to be vigilant and challenge youths if they are doing things like this.'

She appealed to people with information to come forward. 'If the kids have come home with paint on them, or if you know anything about it, then get in touch,' she said.

She added the incident was 'a one-off' and said the police had 'regular patrols there most evenings'.

NCRUG publicity officer and Helsby parish councillor Frank Thomas said: 'I am appalled that anybody could go about and do that, slapping paint all over the place and damaging the plants that have been put up so well by the working party, damaging the signal box, breaking glass and the display board on the platform.' Anyone with information should call transport police on 0161 228 5685 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.