COUNTRYSIDE rangers have vowed to beat the vandals and reopen a Whiteley nature reserve.

The gates of a special enclosed education area at Gull Coppice were locked this week after a series of attacks made it unsafe for use.

But Fareham Council countryside ranger Claire Benfield now hopes the four-acre wetland, glade and woodland site will be reopened in about a month's time.

Her team will work with Whiteley Green Conservation Group, who introduced a new dipping pond facility there just weeks ago, to restore a platform, rails, equipment and trees. Children from local schools and community groups will then be able to enjoy getting closer to nature with species including dragonfly nymphs, water boatmen and baby newts.

The closure followed the latest in a series of attacks on the area.

Rangers have discovered regular break-ins throughout the year, but it wasn't until this week that they found the dipping platform had been wrecked, broken equipment strewn around the site and trees damaged.

In recent weeks pupils from Whiteley Primary School, several local Brownie and Rainbow groups, and adult nature lovers have enjoyed the facility.

Whiteley Community Association chairman Jim Tyler had hit out at the closure.

He said: "I don't really see how stopping the legitimate use of this will stop vandalism. It seems a bit of a punishment for the community as this is a well-used facility. It's a great shame."

But Fareham Council leader Sean Woodward said: "We've stepped up the number of volunteers there so they could act as witnesses, but even that hasn't stopped them.

"It's something we hate to have to do but we have no option."