FRUSTRATED Southampton residents say they don't know where to turn to stop malicious vandals targeting their cars week after week.

For two years, residents from Medwall Green in Thornhill have regularly woken to find car windows smashed and tyres slashed in attacks on one or more of their vehicles.

Just last week six cars were vandalised.

Even on Christmas Eve, the yobs showed no mercy, damaging two cars.

Resident Peter Coe, whose car has been wrecked five times in two years, said he fears nothing will be done to stop the thugs.

"To have your car constantly damaged is heart-breaking. My insurance has gone through the roof and it takes time and money to repair the damage.

"We have reported incidents to the police time and again but they say there is nothing they can do unless they catch the thugs in action.

"Thornhill was given a £50,000 New Deal for Communities grant but I can't see any of the money going towards helping us. We are desperate."

Councillor Matthew Stevens, for Bitterne Ward, said he sympathised with the residents.

He said: "Although I was not aware of this particular problem I can sympathise with the residents.

"The police need to make antisocial behaviour a priority because it is affecting people's lives - especially at Christmas."

Hampshire police said that not all the incidents have been reported and that they can only stamp out vandalism if it is reported fully and quickly.

A spokesman said: "Anybody who is a victim of this sort of crime, whether it is vandalism or theft, should let us know immediately so that we can work with them to stamp it out."