A north-east park has been forced to delay the opening of its cafe because of vandals.
Machinery and locks were damaged at Aden Country Park last month, racking up a repair bill of £50,000.
And now staff have confirmed fears that the damage will result in the cafe not being ready for the new visitor season.
A spokeswoman said: “Due to vandalism, unfortunately, we are unable to open the cafe at Aden on January 13 as planned.”
The building, which is owned by Aberdeenshire Council, is sublet to Joanna Gall.
She said: “It was disappointing for us as Aden Country Park is a very popular destination.
“We had our windows smashed and they are currently boarded up, so it doesn’t look very appealing to customers.
“Our doors were also damaged so we are making sure they are safe before reopening too.
“We are in discussions with the council on the replacement and fitting of the windows, and about the timetable for that.
“We will be keeping people up to date about our reopening via our Facebook page.”
Since the damage, three teenagers, two aged 13 and one 14, have been reported to the youth management unit in connection with 11 alleged thefts at the Mintlaw park.
Councillor Norman Smith, who represents Mintlaw, said: “It is very unfortunate that the cafe is still closed at the moment.
“Due to the break-in and damage in December it will not be able to reopen as planned.
“We will, however, get it fixed as soon as we can so it can reopen, but there was some specialised glass that was damaged last month and this needs to be replaced first.”
A spokesman for the local authority yesterday confirmed that the planned opening of the cafe has been delayed.
“We ask people to keep an eye on the cafe at Aden Facebook page for the latest information,” he added.
