FAMILIES of vandals have promised to pay up for their children's actions after angry residents tracked them down.

Parents at Popples playgroup at Chickerell spent months fundraising so they could buy a secure metal shed to store the toddlers' playthings.

The shed, which cost £200, has been up less than a month outside the Willowbed Hall and has already been damaged beyond repair.

The latest attack saw a group of youths kick the sides and jump repeatedly on the roof of the shed.

But parents used local knowledge to trace those responsible and it prompted an angry dad to visit the parents of one of the culprits and have stern words.

Now other families have been approached about their youngsters' actions.

Laura Hampson, a Popples committee member, said: "We were going to call the police but the parents said they would pay for the damage."

She added: "Everyone is really upset by this. It's just vandalism for vandalism's sake.

"The shed only contains toys for the toddlers. There's nothing of value the older children could want."

Popples has gone from strength to strength since it started last September and more than 40 toddlers attend the weekly meetings at Willowbed Hall.

The group appealed for storage space last year after parents found it a struggle to take the toys home after each meeting. They eventually bought a shed after organising fetes and other events to raise money.

Mrs Hampson, 36, a childminder who is married with two children, said: "The fact that we spent a lot of time raising money to buy this shed makes the vandalism so annoying.

"It took four husbands four hours to put the shed together and it took six lads just a few minutes to destroy it.

"I understand the perpetrators are teenagers and at that age they should know better."

Mrs Hampson said the group was now planning to buy a new vandal-proof container to keep the toys in.

She added: "The shed has had it. If we get a drop of rain the toys inside will be ruined so we'll have to buy something new."