WHY didn't you tell us? Police have called for more public support after claiming they were not told about a spate of vandalism on a New Forest estate in which two cars were torched and a recreation ground severely damaged.

Police at Hythe say they were not aware that any major incident took place at Netley View estate last Saturday and they have no record of the burned-out cars - a BMW and a Ford Sierra - being stolen.

A local resident, who prefers to be nameless for fear of reprisals, said a mob of more than 30 youngsters had caused mayhem at the estate's recreation ground at 7.30pm.

She said two cars were used to ram the recreation ground fence and gate and, once inside, they were driven round at high speed, damaging the turf. The cars were finally rolled and set on fire.

"Neighbours did call the police but by the time they turned up it was too late. The youngsters had gone, " said the woman.

Another householder, former councillor Brian Uglow, said: "It was a big fire and one of the cars exploded. Children as young as three or four were watching all this, with no parents to control them."

He added that many people felt there was no point in ringing the police.

"The attitude is, why bother? There are too few policemen to look after the Waterside, Exbury and Beaulieu," he said.

Lyndhurst-based Chief Inspector Keith Deakin confirmed that, other than a domestic incident, they had received no calls to Netley View last Saturday evening. He appealed to residents to keep the police better informed.

"If there are disturbances of this nature we would encourage people to phone 999," he said.

Hythe and Dibden parish council clerk David Shimpey said the problem was getting worse.

"The police have limited resources and there is not much more they can do," he said.

"Two stolen cars were driven into recreation ground gates and fences, which will need several hundred pounds to repair, though the skate park itself was undamaged.

"We don't know who is committing this vandalism or how we can stop them." he said.