DRUNKEN yobs attacked a Cirencester cafe smashing windows and leaving debris from window displays strewn across the road.

The damage at the Cornerstone Cafe and Bookshop in Dollar Street, which helps raise vital funds for the parish of Cirencester and provides a meeting place for the community and visitors to the town, was targetted by vandals in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Manager Alison Brown said: "This is the second time in a year that this historic frontage has been damaged by late night drunks.

"I don't think we are specifically targeted as other property in the road has been damaged in the past, but repairing the window costs us at least a day's profits and causes real disruption.

"I'm also really sad for the local residents who are constantly disturbed by noise from drunks after closing time. I hope those who did it will contribute to the cost of repair now they have sobered up."

Gloucestershire County councillor Roger Brown, who also volunteers in the shop, said he was concerned late night trouble was making the town centre a no go area at weekends.

He said: "The only way to sort this out is to have more police presence, some prosecutions and a clamp down on publicans who continue to serve customers who are clearly drunk late at night."

Gloucestershire police spokesman Matt Ford said: "We are taking the matter very seriously and there may have been some CCTV coverage of the incident so that is something we will be examining."