VANDALS went on the rampage in a Stroud car park on Saturday night trashing and burgling cars.

In the attack in London Road's Brunel multi-storey car park between 7.20pm and 8.45pm they smashed the windows of six vehicles and looted a stereo, CDs, keys and a torch. Alison Fisk, head of regeneration at Stroud District Council, which owns the car park, described the incident as "frustrating".

She said: "In the other car parks you are more likely to be seen but it's an enclosed space and slightly out of the way.

"We are currently looking with the town council and chamber of trade at what improvements we can make to security there."

Plans include complementing the low-level lighting with a painted colour scheme to enhance visibility, adding more lights and installing CCTV to deter would be vandals. More lights and the new paint scheme are due in within the next few months, she added, but the CCTV would take longer due to the size and cost of the project.

"We don't get that many incidents," she said. "I think it's perceived that we get more than we do but we're obviously concerned to hear that many cars were attacked in one go." police spokesman Kate Nelmes described the incident as a "mindless act".

She said: "It's not just the expense but the inconvenience to the motorists who now have to get their vehicles repaired."

Anyone with information about the incident should call police on 0845 0901234 or Crimestoppers free and anonymously on 0800 555111. Miss Fisk asked that they also call Stroud District Council on 01453 766321.