POLICE are hunting thieves who stole a tractor and rampaged through Ruislip Woods and the lido , causing thousands of pounds of damage.
In the early hours of Monday morning they broke into Haste Hill Golf Course in Northwood and drove the tractor through the woods to the lido, where they destroyed a children's slide, a gate, an information sign and sections of fencing, and severely damaged the Ruislip Lido Railway ticket office.
The vandals dumped the tractor and fled. It was later recovered from Northwood Recreation Ground.
Julie Shuttleworth, who works for the railway, said: "We have made temporary repairs around the platform, but there is a lot of damage to the ticket office. We are making other arrangements to sell tickets and we will run as normal at the weekend."
Hillingdon Council spokeswoman Charlotte Stamper told the Gazette: "They damaged the ticket office for the railway and bashed into the children's slide.
"It is going to cost thousands."
Up to £1.5million has already been earmarked by the council for a range of improvements to Ruislip Lido. * Anyone with information on the vandalism should call Hillingdon police on 020 8246 1855.
