A victim of vandalism is calling for action to prevent more gang-related attacks on Portland.

Andy Down says he is furious to find graffiti sprayed across his work van.

Andy Down woke up for work at home in Toby’s Close to find he had joined the victims of a spate of graffiti affecting schools and homes in and around Weston Road.

The postcode ‘DT5’ had been sprayed on his white Hyundai van in blue paint during the night – DT5 is believed to be the mark of a local gang called ‘The Portland Bois’.

Police are appealing for parents who have seen their children with spray cans or trying to clean blue paint off of their clothes to contact them after St George’s Primary School was hit and expletives were found on a wall on Bloomfield Terrace.

Mr Down, 53, descried the graffiti as ‘very sad’ but so common that he was expecting it to happen to him at some point as he has seen it on walls in the lanes close to the nearby Windmill Stables.

He said: “It’s been going on for weeks now in the footpath behind the shops.

“I thought ‘they’ve not done my van yet’ and low and behold this happens.”

Mr Downs said he will be able to use thinner to remove the paint but has been leaving it on the car so the police and other residents can see it.

He said: “I’ve not taken it off yet because I want people to see what we have to put up with on Portland.”

“I can get it off but for the people who have it on their walls and homes it’s not so easy.”

Mr Down moved to Portland from Crossways three years ago and was surprised at the island’s problems with youngsters.

He said: “I’ve had a few things thrown at my van and I’ve had graffiti on my garage door.

“I thought ‘oh my God’.”

Mr Down believes it is a minority who have carried out the latest graffiti. He added: “It’s very sad.When we were kids we knocked on people’s doors and ran away but we would never vandalise things.

“I’ve come across the gangs on Portland while walking my dogs and I always try to be polite but they never acknowledge you.

“You’ve got to always try to be nice with youngsters.”

The graffiti on Mr Down’s white Hyundai van was among the spate of vandalism on Hallowe’en night last Sunday.

St George’s suffered graffiti being sprayed on a gatepost, a wall and the minibus and a sign for the Little Dragons Pre-School was painted over.

The vandals also hit Bloomfield Terrace, Furlands and Greenways.

A Dorset Police spokes-man appealed for parents or anyone else with information to call them on 01305 222222.