another mindless act of vandalism in Dawlish has prompted town councillors to speak out.
A heavy concrete pot used for flowers near the junction of Brunswick Place and Barton Hill was pushed into the brook and lifting equipment will now be required to move it.
The incident comes only days after vandals caused £2,500 damage when they burned a beach hut among other incidents.
The mayor of Dawlish, Cllr Wally Protheroe, said: 'After all that happened last week, I can't believe that this has happened now.
'Something needs to be done about the youth in Dawlish. On the continent there is a lot less vandalism because there is a lot more for them to do. They have something to disperse their energy and the wildness that comes with being young.
'It is only a small minority of people who cause the problems for everyone else and I get a little worried when we don't have the facilities to encourage young people to be pro-active.
'I don't know why on earth it was decided to push the plant pot into the brook. it's just another case of mindless vandalism. One of my aims is to see something substantial for the young people in Dawlish so they can meet up and let off steam safely,'
Cllr Mary Mugford, a former mayor, said: 'What has happened in Dawlish recently is terrible. I have also been getting telephone calls from worried members of the public about gangs of youths collecting on Lea Mount and leaving lots of rubbish and graffiti.
'I don't know what we should do. We have spoken to the police and they said that they would update their patrols on a Friday.
'I think parents should take more responsibility in knowing what their child is up to when he or she is out.
'I can't understand how the flowerpot was lifted. They were specifically chosen because they were heavy and difficult to move. It would seem that more than one person would have to be involved.'
She said: 'People spend a lot of their time and go to a lot of trouble to make the town look nice such as the hanging baskets. It makes everyone lose heart when it keeps on like this but then again, if we didn't keep it nice then the vandals would have won.
Devon county and Teignbridge councillor John Clatworthy, of Dawlish, said: 'What has happened recently has been a wake up call. Dawlish is a tourist town and we don't want to give the wrong vibes to tourists.
'It also makes the older people of the town feel unsafe.
'The pot being pushed into the brook is just another example of what we have to control.
'We have to continue pressing for a police station and it is one thing that will never be taken off our agenda. We don't want this happening every weekend and need better policing and youth facilities. Perhaps a partnership with the various councils could be the answer.'