A GROUP of town tidiers have been left "frustrated and demoralised" after vandals targeted a flower bed display.

Members of Dalton's Tidy Town Group are annoyed after discovering flowers they installed on the platforms of Dalton's railway station pulled out of the beds.

Rose Hazlehurst from the group said she and another member of the group had worked hard to plant the flower beds only to later find them vandalised.

She said: "As a group we have 'adopted' Dalton railway and report problems with littering and look after the flower tubs.

"We discovered that all the but one of the flower tubs had been disturbed and completely stripped of the bedding plants.

"We felt frustrated and demoralised at the waste of our time and effort and disappointed and the platform now looks so bare.

"The bedding plants would have provided colour on the platform

"We don't know whether the plants were removed for someone's use or simply thrown away."

Dalton's Tidy Town Group looks after the town and picks litter off its streets.

It was formed around 10 years ago.

In 2016 it was praised by in the Royal Horticultural Society It’s Your Neighbourhood awards for its work at Dalton station as well Abbey Road Community Gardens

Mrs Hazlehurst said the station had become one of Dalton's litter hotspots.

Contractors clear rubbish from the plaltform every week, but she she said rubbish often built in and around the station.

She said: "Litter is often an eyesore on the station too.

"There are four rubbish bags, two on each platform.

"The level of littering becomes frustrating, on the platforms, in the shelters, and on the footpath up to Hollygate Road."

Other residents in the town have also picked out the roads near the railway station as area particularly blighted by a problem with litter.

Much of the street cleaning in Dalton is carried out by Clayton Noble, who is tasked with picking up litter off roads and pavements and sweeping aside weeds.

He was named as the Dalton's citizen of the year by the town council last year in recognition of his work.

Mrs Hazlehurst also called on residents to help out with the volunteer group.

She said: "We receive some lovely comments from people who appreciate the plants and flowers that brighten the platforms.

"We are, however, a small group and we would always welcome more volunteers to help us create a pleasant environment for residents and visitors."

Anyone interested in joining us should call in at the Town Hall in Station Road.