Civic leaders have condemned yobs who smashed windows on several cars while they were parked in Wem town centre as “mindless thugs”.

The vandals targeted the vehicles and caused hundreds of pounds of damage after they were left on a Wem car park.

Seven cars in the private car park in Market Street were damaged overnight on Saturday.

Wem mayor Douglas Cooley said: “It puzzles me why people do this. They surely can get no satisfaction from it.

“The inconvenience of all this to the owners of the cars is huge and it is so unfair. It is disturbing because this does not usually happen in Wem mainly because our local police are so vigilant. It is very disappointing.”

Wem deputy mayor Mandy Meakin said: “It makes you so cross because these people are just mindless thugs who do not think about other people.

“You sympathise with the owners of the cars because of the expense and the inconvenience that this causes. It takes up a lot of the police’s time as well when they could be focusing on other more important things.

“I would urge anyone who saw anything or knows about this to contact the police because this sort of thing has to be stopped.”

Anyone who spotted anything suspicious which might be connected, or has information about those responsible, is asked to contact Wem Police Station on 0300 333 3000.

Information can also be given to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, for which a reward may be paid.

Police in Ellesmere are also appealing for witnesses to an incident in which a window was cracked at a town centre cottage in Trimpley Street.

The damage, amounting to about £100, was reported on Saturday.