'The mindless vandalism has left my staff shaken'

The manager of a launderette in East Yorkshire says his customers have been left "heartbroken" after his business was targeted by vandals.

Laundry Box, on The Parkway, Cottingham, was attacked on Friday morning by a man who smashed the doors of five washing machines and tumble dryers with a garden spade.

James Crumpton said the impact of missed trade and repairs could "cost the business thousands".

Humberside Police said it was conducting house-to-house inquiries and reviewing CCTV in a bid to identify the man.

Mr Crumpton, 38, said the attack happened after the man went in and attempted to wash his socks.

"They were frustrated because they didn't have enough money and obviously thought a reasonable response was to get a spade and attack the machines," he said.

"It's really disappointing. You put your heart and soul into building a business and [when] something like this happens [it] takes the wind out of your sails.

"It's left our staff shaken and it's a real hit to our trade."

He added: "We're a proud part of the community and the response has been overwhelming. Other businesses have helped us and we've been able to open up partially.

"There are a lot more positives than negatives running this shop here but we've seen an increase in antisocial behaviour – whether it's alcohol, drug use or kids hanging around.

"They may feel like they're not doing anything, but it really does create anxiety for people around here. It just makes it even that harder to trade."

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