'This is the worst kind of vandalism'

ABANDONED on the Mossley station platform

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VANDALS wrecked a life-saving defibrillator and left a trail of damage at Mossley Station in a madcap rampage yesterday, writes KEN BENNETT.

A defibrillator had only just been returned to the station's booking hall after being severely damaged in a previous attack.

And today, Eleanor Shember-Critchley, a Mossley town councillor and former Tameside borough councillor and chair of Friends of Mossley station, said: "The vandals who did this have effectively put other people's lives at risk.

"Mossley is an exceptional community and everyone is deeply is saddened by this latest incident."

She was part of the original group who helped install the defibrillator to the memory of well respected local figure, Bernard Murphy, who died last year.

He is commemorated by a brass plaque fitted above the defibrillator housing which was kicked off the wall.

The crumpled casing was left on the floor of station's booking hall and the defibrillator was abandoned on the station platform.

Cllr Shember-Critchley declared: "The defibrillator was at a key point in the community and offered easy access in an emergency.

"It's just completely senseless to damage something so vital to the wellbeing of everyone."

A gang of youths, believed to have carried out the early morning attack, fled the scene on an early morning train heading to Ashton.

Mr Wheeler, an ardent railway campaigner, declared: "This is the worse kind of vandalism. It makes no sense at all."