Members of a West Norfolk community have voiced their frustration after new ‘shared space’ signs were vandalised at a village park.

The notices, which had been installed at Wootton Park on March7 to advise cyclists to give way to pedestrians, had been damaged around a week later.

Will Border, chairman of the Wootton Park Association, said they had three signs made after “a lot of requests” from pedestrians to take action over the situation at the park.

Mr Border said the signs, which both North Wootton and South Wootton parish councils agreed were a good idea, are an “exact copy” of one at a park in Somerset, which also includes a number five in a red ring in the style of a speed limit notice.

“The sign is advisory, I’m not saying they have to cycle at 5mph, but just asking them to slow down as it’s a shared space,” he added.

“No one’s ever going to enforce it.”

A few days after they were originally installed, Mr Border used nylon nuts to make them more secure, but a matter of days later, all three had been unscrewed and taken off the posts.

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Two of them have since been repaired and reinstalled at the park.

“I just think wanton criminal damage just because you disagree with a sign is a bit excessive,” Mr Border said.

“I can understand people object but there’s no need to wreck it – these things can be sorted out in a civilised manner.”

Mr Border said he admitted that he might have “got it wrong” with the 5mph section of the signs, but he hopes residents understand the “main point” of them is to emphasise that the park is to be used by both cyclists and pedestrians.

“The other annoying thing is that this is coming out of precept money, which is used to try and look after the place and enhance it,” he added.

“People go around wrecking things, and someone’s got to pay for it.