Graffiti fightback!

Last week Inspector Max Mosley appealed to readers who had information about the attacks or who could identify trouble-makers from the "tags" - graffiti signatures - published in the Observer to contact police.

Thanking the Observer, Sergeant Trish Reeve-Fowkes said on Monday: "Over the weekend a youth has been arrested in relation to one of the tags that have appeared around the town.

"The 16-year-old local youth has been charged with one offence of criminal damage and inquiries are continuing in relation to other young people in respect of these tags.

"Police are continuing to investigate this matter. Names are now being provided to the police by the public and, hopefully, other youth will be arrested in the near future."

Graffiti taggers left their mark on seafront shelters this week.

They daubed the newly-renovated shelter outside the sailing club overnight on Tuesday with their distinctive tags, leaving parts of the structure requiring a new paint job.

They then worked their way west and etched their scrawlings in the glass of the oval-shaped shelter, which is a listed building.

Only last week we told how the same group wrecked 30 beach huts with their spray cans.

Add to that smashed patio windows at the De La Warr Pavilion and a broken ornamental lighting column at the Colonnade and the seafront looks a sorry sight thanks to vandalism.

Police were at Brett Drive again last Friday night. A snack bar van had been burnt out and the hoardings round the former Drallim site were smothered in graffiti.

The tags are typically written by people calling themselves names such as Bass, Bomb, Bling, Blazin', Mafia and Fellony.

Bexhill Police believe they are the work of a small group of youths and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on 0845 60 70 999.