POLICE have increased patrols in Watchet Memorial Ground after vandals tore down enforcement signs for a controversial dog ban that has caused deep divisions within the community.

Poles that had been concreted into the ground were also ripped from the ground and thrown aside, with at least one falling onto the nearby railway embankment.

Sports and playing pitches at the ground were declared out of bounds to dogs on January 1 by the town council, following a year of negotiations and consultations with dog owners and sports organisations.

But vandals struck less than a fortnight after the new legislation came into force, which still allows people to exercise their pets around part of the boundary of the ground.

Council chairman Cllr Sally de Renzy-Martin told the authority's monthly meeting on Monday that she strongly suspected that adults were responsible for the damage.

"And adults who, I believe, would readily chastise youngsters for similar acts of vandalism," said Cllr de Renzy-Martin.

"It is very sad. People have had plenty of opportunity to have their say on this matter."

Cllr de Renzy-Martin said the poles had been reinstated and the damage had been reported to the police, who were carrying out extra patrols of the area in a bid to catch the culprits.

And she warned: "When people start whinging and moaning about the precept - this is the sort of thing that does not cost a fortune to put right but it does mount up."

But Cllr David Banks described it as "wanton criminal damage".

"It is costing the Council Taxpayers of this town money. We are seeing wanton criminal damage that is costing this community and the sooner the perpetrators stop this anti-social behaviour, the better."

Cllr Loretta Whetlor said several people had commented to her that it was difficult to know exactly where dogs were allowed and questioned whether the signs had been put up too soon.

She said she thought a 'softly softly' approach would operate until the town warden - who will have the responsibility for issuing fines - had received specialist training.

But council clerk Sarah Reed said the legislation had come into force on January 1 and, by law, the signs had to go up at the same time.

She said the town warden would be starting his training within the next week and that the Memorial Ground Committee intended to mark out the pitches to make delineation of the areas easier.

Cllr de Renzy-Martin said she hoped no-one would be fined.

"These people are responsible adults exercising their dogs and hopefully nobody will get fined."

Watchet police beat manager PC Chris Walls told the meeting that the criminal damage was one of his team's top three priorities.

He said increased patrols - both high visibility and plain clothes - would be carried out during the day and in the evening.

Other current priorities include tackling anti-social behaviour on the Henry Davey playing field and an ongoing problem between neighbours in the town.

PC Walls said there had been 25 reported crimes in the last month, compared to 18 over the same period last year, including one robbery, three common assaults, seven thefts and two incidents of possession of cannabis.

But the detection rate over the past month was 33.39 per cent - four per cent higher than in 2010.

PC Walls said a new Neighbourhood Watch scheme had been set up in Doniford and he had recently made contact with all existing Neighbourhood Watch teams.

A Pub Watch scheme was also now up and running and regular visits were being made to the local school.