Grade II listed shelters on Blackpool Prom damaged by suspected 'lead thieves'

Two of the Grade II listed bus shelters on the Promenade are reported to have been vandalised last week, with parts of the roof removed from at least one of the famous structures.

It has been suggested locally that the shelters were targeted by opportunistic thieves looking to make a pretty penny from the ‘lead’ found in the roofs.

A spokesman for Sunny Dees Holiday Apartments posted on social media: “Sadly more criminal damage, theft of lead on two of our Grade II listed Promenade Shelters... Time for a new CCTV camera on the Prom?”

But, if this is the case, they are bound to be disappointed - as the old roofs were replaced with fake lead years ago.

Joan Humble, chairman of the Blackpool Civic Trust, said: “The shelters originally did have lead on the roofs, but because over the years there was so much damage from people trying to take it , the lead has now been replaced by a substance that looks like lead but isn’t.

“That makes it even more of a shame that they have been damaged, because the Trust and the Council have gone to some effort to make them look better.

However the damage occurred I do hope that the council will examine it and rectify it to keep our Promenade looking pleasant.”

A spokesman for Blackpool Council said: “Although we are not sure when it happened, we are aware of the damage and are organising for it to be repaired.”