ON Friday, May 17, youths broke in to a school gym in Stamford, Lincolnshire, where the Market Deeping model railway club were planning to hold their annual show/exhibition over the weekend.

The event had to be cancelled as the youths completely ruined/wrecked all the model layouts and static stands, displays, stalls and posters etc.

Many men were in tears when they came upon this carnage. The photograph is truly shocking.

For many of the members involved a life’s work has gone in minutes. I have been closely involved with model railways and clubs for very nearly 73 years and I know exactly how all those men and ladies will have felt - sick in the stomach and heart broken. Sir Rod Stewart has donated £10,000 to help and urged others like Jools Holland and Roger Daltrey to do likewise. But many of the club members are over 70 and have no hope of rebuilding their life’s work.

Why do people act in this horrid way? What is going wrong with our country? This act of sheer vandalism was madness. Had they stolen some of the beautiful, skilfully made models then tried to sell them, that, though very wrong, would at least be understandable, but to just smash everything to pieces was a mindless crime.

David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York