A YORK woman who says her family have been hounded by car vandals today hit out at police priorities.

Louisa Lyon contacted the Evening Press after we reported that British Transport Police were investigating damage to the windscreen of city MP Hugh Bayley, in a York station car park.

Louisa said swift action promised by the transport police contrasted with what she claimed was lack of interest from York police about her family's complaints.

The 26-year-old said over a two-year spell three of her family's vehicles - parked in The Mount area - had been targeted between ten and 15 times.

She said the catalogue of crime included:

Paintwork and glass severely scratched with car keys

A vehicle broken into and radio stolen

Four wing mirrors kicked off and a car badge swiped

Dents caused by louts jumping on bonnets.

Louisa said on one occasion her dad had a replacement wing mirror fitted - then the next day somebody tried to wrench it off.

She said other residents in The Mount area had suffered at the hands of the roadside vandals striking under the cover of darkness on the busy route into the city.

Each piece of damage costs at least £100 to repair. Louisa said she was fast losing patience with the police.

The marketing manager told the Evening Press: "We have reported these incidents to the police and they do not do anything about it because it's vandalism - even though there are CCTV cameras in place. It infuriates me that people cause so much mindless damage, which costs the car owners a small fortune.

"It also infuriates me that the police are not interested when the general public raise concerns - it's clearly a different matter and a big fuss is made when a local MP is inconvenienced."

She added: "It's getting to the point where it's not worth having the damage repaired because something is likely to happen next week".

York police today denied Louisa's complaints, stressing that car crime was a focus for the force.

A spokesman rejected suggestions that reports of damage in car parks covered by British Transport Police were treated differently to those on city streets. He said he found one report of damage, made by Louisa's dad, Kevin Lyon, in the last year. He was not able to check the records the previous year at the time of going to press.

He said the theft of Mr Lyons' wing mirror was investigated fully, but lack of evidence meant it could not be pursued.

Updated: 08:57 Friday, November 05, 2004