A LARGS shelter is to be boarded up after being targeted by vandals.

Local councillors agreed this week to close access to the shelter at The Pencil as a result of damage caused by yobs.

Police have been called out to deal with a number of incidents but have been unable to catch the culprits in the act.

People living nearby raised the anti-social behaviour with town councillors and the senior officers in a desperate plea for the issue to be tackled.

Councillor Tom Marshall said: "A couple of weekends ago there was a recurrence with a large number of young people drinking, causing a disturbance and throwing bottles over the railway line and into two adjacent properties.

"The police have been called out on a number of occasions but by the time they arrive the miscreants have escaped.

"I raised this at a recent meeting of the Largs councillors and it was agreed that, as a temporary measure, the open shelter would be boarded up to prevent youths congregating. The toilets will remain open, in spite of some vandalism.

"We will ask the art department of Largs Academy to use the boarded surface as a base for a mural that might be appropriate for the area."

Councillor Ian Murdoch said: "There have considerably far too many complaints over a short period of time regarding the issues at the shelter and something had to be done.

"Neighbours were getting distressed by the amount of vandalism and noise coming from the area every weekend.

"Although the toilets were also badly vandalised and smashed up at the start of the year, we think it is important to keep them open and only close the shelter.

"Given its remote location, it is hard for the police to get to it quickly to deal with the culprits.

"My only concern is that it will move the problem on somewhere else. If this happens hopefully it will be to an area that is more manageable for the police.

"It is a shame that it has come to this but the councillors have agreed that this is the only option."