Vandals destroy JCB digger at heritage railway

A volunteer-led heritage railway has said it has suffered a spate of vandalism, which has seen one of its mini JCB diggers left completely destroyed.

Staffordshire's Churnet Valley Railway (CVR) said the vehicle had been awaiting collection from its maintenance team and had only been on its land for 24 hours.

But that was enough time for at least one vandal to leave the digger unusable.

"Controls have been ripped off, electrical components torn out, the dipstick removed and, unbelievably, dirt and grit poured into the engine sump," a CVR spokesperson said.

"This wasn't an abandoned machine. It wasn't causing anyone any harm.

"It was simply waiting to be collected after helping our volunteers maintain the railway."

That was not all as a newly fitted fence at the site of the future Leek Station was also found in bits.

"Rather than being damaged accidentally, the fence has been carefully unscrewed, paling by paling, with the screws removed as well."

The CVR spokesperson said the "real victims are our volunteers".

They added: "They give up their own time, freely and willingly, to preserve and improve this railway for everyone to enjoy.

"They now find themselves without a vital piece of equipment that makes so many maintenance tasks quicker, safer and easier.

"We must now either find a replacement or hope that someone with the necessary expertise can repair what has been damaged.

"We simply cannot understand why anyone would choose to do this.

"It serves no purpose, benefits nobody and only diverts money and volunteer effort away from improving the railway."

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.