A WORKER claims that a derelict building on an industrial estate has become a ‘playground for vandals’.

Mark Fellows said youths had smashed the windows out of the James Thomas Engineering building, in Navigation Road, Worcester, and sprayed graffiti inside the property - yards from where people have to arrive for work.

Mr Fellows, of Fort Royal Lane, Worcester, also complained about potholes, broken streetlights and fly-tipping on the industrial estate in Diglis.

He is calling for the Canal and River Trust, which owns the land, to invest in the area, following its decision to spend £12,500 on an art installation at Diglis Island.

However, a spokesman for the trust said the project has been wholly funded by Arts Council England and pledged to tackle the fly-tipping and vandalism.

Mr Fellows said: “Over this summer the building has been vandalised and the kids seem quite determined to break all the windows and spray paint inside.

“It’s an eyesore. No one in their right mind is going to buy that now. [It] has been empty for about 18 months. It was a perfectly good building 18 months ago.

“The whole industrial estate area needs a bit of love. There are potholes in the road and the streetlights don’t work.

“There’s hundreds of people that come on this estate, it looks like no one’s interested, it’s demoralising.”

Mr Fellows added that nine out of the 15 streetlights on Navigation Road are out of action.

He said this poses a risk to cyclists and pedestrians, who could fall into the potholes in the dark.

Mr Fellows, aged 44, said one worker on the industrial estate received money from the Canal and River Trust, after he burst his tyre in a pothole on the road about 18 months ago.

He said: “[It’s] owned by the Canal and River Trust. The same people that want to spend £12,500 on huts on Diglis Island.

“They should have an obligation to make other areas better.”

Mr Fellows, who works for Industrial and Tractor Limited, in Navigation Road, said the area also has a problem with fly-tipping.

He added that a dumped sofa had been on the site since before Christmas.

A Canal & River Trust spokesman said they were looking at a number of options for the future of the James Thomas Engineering building.

They added: “We agree with many of these observations about the area and would like to assure people that we’re working hard to secure funds to make improvements.

“We do often rely on people alerting us to incidents of fly-tipping, as well as vandalism, so having been made aware we’ll get it removed.

"With regards to the James Thomas Engineering building, we’re currently working on long-term plans for improving the site.

“The money for the art work on Diglis comes from Arts Council England, so isn’t something that could be diverted to these concerns.

“Diglis is such an important part of the city and we’re committed to working with the council and other local stakeholders to keep improving it.”

Around 20 firefighters rushed to the James Thomas Engineering site in June after a fire erupted inside the building.

The blaze reportedly started after some rubbish caught fire.

Police said that no one was inside when the incident happened.

Adrian Farmer, station commander in Worcester for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, previously said: "Firefighters battled through thick smoke to use hoses to extinguish the flames."

Have your say: Have you spotted any vandalism? email md@worcesternews.co.uk