THE owners of a long-established market town business, which has suffered a spate of attacks by thieves and vandals, have appealed for information following the latest incident.

Michael and Anita Philpotts are offering a reward for information after a mass of graffiti, including obscene words, was sprayed inside their shop at Rainbow Street Nursery.

Vandals broke in during the early hours of last Wednesday and sprayed blue and black paint around the interior, including the ceiling, counter, packets of seeds and other stock.

Mrs Philpotts went to open the shop at 8.45am and, catching a glimpse of the damage from the door, asked her husband to investigate because she could not face entering the premises.

Michael Philpotts, who has run the business for 57 years, is angry and dismayed by five attacks at the site over the last nine months.

About £1,000 worth of plants was destroyed last September when vandals tipped weed killer over them. The shop's credit card machine was stolen in a break-in last December.

As police investigated the latest attack, the couple carried on serving customers surrounded by the graffiti during one of their busiest periods.

"Everyone who has seen it is disgusted," said Mrs Philpotts. But she does not believe the attacks are the result of a vendetta.

"It's vandalism - they do it just because they want to do it. I would like to get hold of whoever did this and make them clean it up.

"We want to see the culprits prosecuted and would be grateful if anyone with information could contact the police," said Mrs Philpotts.

Police spokesman Neil Tipton said a forensic team visited the nursery and police inquiries were continuing. "There doesn't seem to have been any purpose to this other than to cause damage and a lot was caused, including £1,000 damage caused by the forced entry to the premises," he said.

Anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious should call PC James Phillips at Leominster Police Station or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.