COUNCIL officers are demanding a derelict nursing home be boarded up amid ongoing issues with antisocial behaviour.

Pinebeach Nursing Home, at Friars Cliff in Christchurch, closed in 2015 but the site is still accessible to homeless people and youths who have been blamed for smashing windows and painting graffiti.

Now officers are trying to find Mark Gould - joint director of Lifecaring Holdings Ltd, the registered owner - so that he can be presented with a notice under the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1982 section 29 to board up the site.

Cllr Lesley Dedman - who is a shareholder of the former home - said: “Apart from it being a great shame because it was lovely, it has started to be such a nuisance to the residents and we have been totally unable to persuade the owners of the company to board it up.”

Mr Gould was not available for comment.