Car damage spree angers Wigan residents

Reports of tyres being slashed and windows broken, particularly in Scholes and Whelley, have begun to circulate.

Hotspots for the mindless vandalism have been identified as Sole Street, Bedford Street, Durham Street, and Northumberland Street, where one resident reported the entire road had been targeted, but incidents have been recorded elsewhere.

Unconfirmed reports from some Wiganers claim to have witnessed two young males driving a white Ford Transit van through residential streets, damaging and breaking into vehicles before speeding off.

One frustrated car owner said of the incidents: “It’s giving us hard working, good honest people, loving and feeling proud to be part of a lovely community, a bad name.

“It needs to be sorted and something done about it.”

Coun Chris Ready, who represents the Aspull, New Springs and Whelley ward, revealed he had been speaking to Greater Manchester Police about the

matter.

He said: “I have been contacted by a few residents. I am really shocked by this. It’s atrocious that people are being targeted like this.

“I have contacted the police, they can only tell me so much but they are following a few lines of enquiry at the moment. They are looking into this very seriously.”

He added: “It’s quite worrying. It’s also disruptive for people needing to go to work. As a council, we are concerned about this.”