WINSFORD was terrorised by anti-social behaviour last night, with youths smashing windows, damaging cars and lighting fires throughout the town.

Young boys and girls were seen running around the town, throwing bricks through windows, with one woman venting on social media that a brick was thrown at her window where her 10-week-old baby was lay behind.

Residents’ homes and vehicles in the Wharton and Moss Bank areas were smashed up, with police responding to 16 reports.

There seemed to be no limit to how far the vandals would go, as a police car was also smashed up while responding to an emergency call in Dee Way.

The damage meant that the car had to be towed away to be repaired – taking an emergency response vehicle off the road for the rest of the night.

Chief Insp Simon Meegan said: “Damaging property and vehicles is simply unacceptable behaviour and extremely distressing to the victims. Furthermore, it has much wider implications for the local community.

“We are committed to doing all that we can to tackle this bad behaviour. Despite our best efforts there is still a minority of people who are intent on causing mindless vandalism and disrupting others.”

“The extensive damage to just one of our police cars has an impact. Not only did this incident result in one less police car on the streets of Winsford, but it also meant that two officers were tied up dealing with the criminal damage, when they could have been responding to emergencies.

“I would urge anyone with any information in relation to any of the incidents that took place last night to contact the team here at Northwich on 101 so that the people responsible for these mindless acts can be brought to justice.”

Bradbury Road resident Chloé Sudlow, 19, had her car smashed up outside her home at some point between 5pm and 8.30pm.

She said: "I'm absolutely devastated. It's my first car and I've only been able to drive it since June. There was a dash cam and otehr stuff in there, but they didn't any of it - they just wanted to smash it up. 

"There was another car near my house with its windows smashed and another in Dee Way and a house with its windows smashed.

"This all started last bonfire night period with the fires and then cars getting their windows smashed, and now it's still happening a year on."

Firefighters were also tormented, having to respond to various arson attacks throughout the evening.

Where you affected by last night's vandalism? Contact us on 01606 813620.

More to follow.