A COUNCILLOR has offered a reward in a bid to catch vandals who launched an attack on a community orchard.

The £80,000 orchard off Lotus Way, Jaywick, was set up to provide a new community space for residents.

Jaywick Community Forum members clinched thousands of pounds in funding and volunteers worked tirelessly to create the site, completing work in November 2012.

But since then the orchard has been hot by a spate of vandal attacks.

The latest incident saw plants and saplings torn up, support posts stolen, the pathway damaged and placards defaced.

Jaywick councillor Nick Brown has now offered a cash reward to anyone who can provide information which leads to the successful prosecution of the vandalism culprit.

He said: “This really has incensed us. It took people a lot of time, effort and hard work to make this area a possibility.

“We are trying to support this community venture but it is extremely frustrating to see this kind of thing happen."

Anyone with information should call police on 101.