An historic market has been left in need of urgent repairs after a group of 'rampaging' youths climbed onto its roof.
Rawtenstall Indoor Market was already in a state of disrepair before it was vandalised on Monday evening (June 26). The latest incident has made matters worse, leaving the roof in dire need of repair, Lancs Live reports.
But despite being left frustrated and disappointment, the market's owner say they want to help the culprits rather than see them punished. Dan Gregson, the market's managing director, said he believed problems were caused by a group of 'bored' young people.
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"They climbed up onto the roof and ripped off our anti-vandal spikes and shouted abuse," he said.
Following the incident, Dan and his partner Stevie - who helps to manage the venue - switched their attention to how they can foster some kind of positivity after the incident.
"They're just doing it for fun, to show off but what if one of them slipped? It is so dangerous," Dan said. "People tell us we're wasting our time trying to help them, saying they're mindless kids who just want to wreck stuff. But going forward, we want to put a different spin on it."
Dan is keen to help support the youths get involved with the community by volunteering, learning a new skill or even setting up their own little business at the market. He insists the Rossendale town's young people are "welcome to come and hang out" at the historic venue.
However, construction work on the ageing roof is not due to begin for another 10 months, so Dan has offered a plea to the vandals to think about the consequences of their actions for everyone, including traders and customers. The facilities are in a "dire need of repair", with the roof alone costing in excess of £140,000. Fortunately, the complex has secured funding through LUF (Levelling Up Fund).
Dan added: "People tell us the parents of these kids are a waste of space - but we had two mums who came to us asking how they can teach their sons what they are doing is wrong.
"There's opportunities in academia around here but that isn't for everyone. We think the market is a great place for that new generation of people, who are maybe not attending school and could come here to maybe start business themselves.
"It doesn't mean they should be written off because they were a bit of a reprobate at a young age. But if you walk around you'll see buckets collecting water so damaging a roof that is already going to cost £140k to fix is not helpful and stops developments and us putting on any events.
"We don't want stock to get damaged and the stallholders to lose out - it has a huge knock on effect."
The market, which is widely seen as the heart of the community, is home to a variety of independent stalls and traders including a clothing boutique, homeware, haberdashery, kitchen equipment, antiques, books, plants and a greengrocers.
It is also the place to be for street food in the valley, with the monthly Foodie Friday part of a packed calendar of events including a motorcycle festival and knitting club.
Dan is determined to engage with teens in the community who he believes have 'still got a lot to offer' along with teaming-up with The White Horse Project, an organisation that supports young people aged 11 to 18 in Rossendale.
The market is actively involved in the Levelling Up board's ongoing efforts to drive improvements in Rossendale. In addition to securing £4 million for enhancements, the market and parent company Play Market Management are also focusing on educational and training initiatives within Rossendale.
Dan added: "While we acknowledge the emphasis on academic education and training, we strongly believe that the market offers an exceptional space to further the training and education of young people. It also serves as an excellent platform to kickstart new businesses. Together, we can create a thriving marketplace that benefits everyone. "
The market is open two days a week, Thursday and Saturday, 9 to 4pm.
