TEN beach huts at Branksome beach have been vandalised and broken into after hinges were forced off the back doors.

Residents reported the vandalism yesterday (Thursday) upon arriving at their beach huts along the Branksome Dene Chine beachfront.

The incident occurred in the upper section of a block of beach huts next to the Branksome Dene Room events venue.

The ten vandalised huts have since been boarded up and one person described the doors as having been “completely smashed in”. Other doors in the section, however, were apparently left untouched.

BCP Council alerted the affected beach hut owners via email, stating that their maintenance teams had attended and made it “safe temporarily” until full repairs can be carried out. They also advised the owners to check for any missing items.

A Dorset Police spokesperson said: “[We] received a report at around 1.30pm on Thursday January 20 of criminal damage to ten beach huts at Branksome Dene in Poole. Local officers have been made aware.

“No arrests have been made.”