Vandals smash up Newbury buses and ransack offices

Disruption to service minimised as extra buses drafted in from Reading

VANDALS who struck at Newbury Buses' Mill Lane depot caused caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and disrupted services.

The damage was discovered shortly after 5.30am today (Monday) by depot controller Paul Comlay.

One employee, who asked not to be identified, said: “It was total devastation. They caused thousands of pounds worth of damage and several buses were taken off road as a result. “They smashed every window in some of the buses.”

Mr Comlay confirmed six buses sustained extensive damage and two offices were ransacked and smashed up.

Reading Transport activated an emergency plan and spare buses were ferried across from Reading to Newbury to take over the services, so that only one journey was missed and everything else ran to time.

Reading Transport chief executive officer James Freeman said: “As a result, there are some unusual buses running in Newbury today - but nobody will mind that, as long as all our services are running to time.”

Detectives were this morning in attendance at the Mill Lane site.