SCOUTS are devastated after vandals trashed their hut, used the floor as a toilet and left behind needles used for injecting drugs.

The thugs struck at 1st Cirencester Scout Group’s base in Cotswold Avenue while it was empty during half-term, wreaking havoc at the small cabin.

As well as urinating and defecating on the floor, they helped themselves to biscuits and chocolate spread, tossed food around and left the place littered with used needles.

The incident took place between February 12 and 17, with Scout leaders discovering the havoc when they arrived on the evening of the 17th for a meeting.

Beaver Scout leader Rachael Hailstone, 39, said: “There was urine and faeces. It was smeared all over the lengths of the hall. The smell was overwhelming.

“There was a big dirty patch which was wet through.”

Rachael, whose two sons are members of the Scout group, added: “We were all really shocked. One of my assistant leaders said it feels like we’ve been violated.

“We have been invaded. We are often on our own in the hut when setting up and it just makes us think ‘are we safe there?’”

Since the break-in, police officers have been patrolling the area near the hut.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire police said: “It doesn’t appear to be a forced entry and no damage was done.

“It was half term and it’s possible the youngsters were hanging around the hut with nothing better to do.”

The 1st Cirencester Scout Group is run entirely by volunteers and cannot afford to install CCTV, Rachael said.

She said the group would now have to raise money to buy a carpet-cleaning machine so the floor would be safe for children to play on.

“We are a charity and we have bills. We are very low in funds,” she added.

This is not the first time the scout hut has been broken into, and windows have been smashed in the past.

Mayor of Cirencester Joe Harris said the town council would be “there to help” the Scouts, if needed.

The Scouts are now appealing to the public for help. Search for 1st Cirencester Scout Group on Facebook.