AN INFORMATION point which allows people to report street crime was vandalised, making it unusable, just 48 hours after it was installed.

But, despite the problems, 15 further I-plus points are to be unveiled across the borough, in Bromley, Orpington, Beckenham, Penge and Chislehurst.

The points enable people to send email, surf selected websites, and give them access to Bromley Council's website, where they can report graffiti, abandoned vehicles and other street problems.

One of the stainless steel and glass structures was installed in Station Square, Petts Wood on March 8. But by March 10 it had been vandalised, and shopkeepers think the attacks will continue.

Just Flowers manager Lorraine Westgarth, whose shop is just 10m from the damaged Petts Wood point, said: "It's what we would have expected really. People don't like them anyway and the vandals have a field day. It's stupid and asking for trouble to put something like that here."

Cityspace, the company responsible for the devices, claims it will keep repairing them, and believes the vandalism will stop.

Spokesman Sarah Annable said: "The points will be checked weekly. They are up and running in other parts of the country. We continue to fix the occasional problems. It happens, just as it happens with telephone booths, but as soon as a problem is reported we will deal with it."

Petts Wood councillor John Ince said: "I do have some concerns about these points. They can be a useful thing but I think they are also going to be an attraction for vandals.

"I don't know if they contain anything which couldn't be accessed in a library."