BOAT owners are demanding a better seafront deterrent after vandals began targeting their vessels.

A series of incidents involving boats being damaged in Southend has led to concerns the crooks are free to do what they want without repercussions.

Hannah Calnan, 32, of Ash Court, Shoeburyness, has owned her boat Tern for almost 12 years with her partner, and until June this year had never had a problem with vandals.

On Sunday June 17, she was made aware that alongside at least five other boats moored nearby off Shoebury opposite Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Tern had suffered an attack by vandals, who had smashed the vessel’s windows, climbed onto the deck, and thrown equipment overboard.

After repairing the damage the boat was vandalised for a second time two weeks later.

This time the cabin was broken into and ransacked, windows and switchboard smashed, and some personal property was stolen.

Ms Calnan said: “After 12 years of no trouble, it was hard enough to find our boat damaged the first time, but to see it happening again is incredibly frustrating - I understand that we moor the boats at out own risk, but this mindless vandalism is really worrying.

“The most we have ever had before now is mud being thrown at the boat. Now we have cases of windows being smashed and we are reconsidering the benefits of having a boat there at all, especially as we had just paid out for refurbishment works.

“In many ways it is our baby and has brought us a lot of happiness over the years - I just don’t understand what motivates people to purposefully destroy somebody else’s property, especially when you would have to deliberately walk out of your way to cause the damage.

“It doesn’t seem as though people were deliberately robbing us, the way everything was scattered made it just look like some kids decided they would ransack the place.

“I think part of the problem is a lack of supervision on the seafront after hours - in the summer when its light people can walk in the evenings after the foreshore officer has left and do what they like. The officers do a fantastic job during the day, but there should be more done to stop people thinking they can get away with it later on.”

A spokesman from Southend Council said: “While we are concerned to hear about these incidents, any boats moored on the seafront are left at their own risk and we advise sensible precautions to be taken.

“Our resort officers patrol between 10am and 6pm daily and are primarily there to assist visitors, report defects, and provide first aid.

“They are not a 24-hour security service but if they do see any suspicious activity or vandalism, they will attempt to deal with it.”