POLICE have been drafted to patrol Newton Abbot's vandal-hit racecourse ahead of Tuesday's second meeting of the summer.

Staff are hoping there will be no repeat of the bad feeling which marred last month's opener when stewards were verbally abused for closing the newly-opened cycle way and footpath for the whole of the five-hour meeting.

Patrick Masterson, managing director of Newton Abbot Races, said he was 'appalled' by the criminal damage caused to the racecourse since the opening of the Town Quay facility.

'We've had children trespassing on the track, jumping on fences, throwing rocks on to the racetrack and more,' he complained.