Now angry residents are demanding action to stop what they believe is a hardcore of vandals targeting the area.

Secretary of Coulsdon Forum, Charles Hancock, said: "We have been asking for CCTV for a long time in Coulsdon and Old Coulsdon."

Chairman of East Croydon Residents' Association, Pauline Payne, said: "There's a lot of strong feeling in Coulsdon about it. It's getting out of hand down here. CCTV is not the complete answer. More of a police presence is needed."

She pointed to last Tuesday's devastation of Old Coulsdon Congregational Church in Coulsdon Road, where arsonists gutted Cameron Hall, leaving the community without its vital base.

Residents suspect the same firesraisers were started a fire in a disued wing at Cane Hill on Tuesday. The fire took 50 firefighters four hours to put out.

Police are currently investigating both fires as well as an arson attack at Cane Hill in March.

Meanwhile, weightwatchers, the Townswomens Guild and the Womens Institute are among those desperately trying to find an alternative venue after the destruction of Cameron Hall.

Police say a wheelie bin was pushed against its doors at around 1am and rubbish inside it lit. Sixty firefighters were called to the scene as flames ripped through whole sections of the roof.

The Reverend Malcolm Newman said the sanctuary had been saved but the annex would be unusable for the rest of the year. Story continued on page three.

"It's so mindless. It's not just the church that has suffered - it's the whole community. I can cope with strikes of lightning or something like that, but this is mindless vandalism," he said.

There have been numerous other incidents of vandalism and arson in Coulsdon in recent weeks.

Sergeant Mark Thompson, who is in charge of beat officers in Cousldon, said he was aware of the problem.

"I will be asking for more officers for this area at a tasking meeting."

A spokesman for Croydon Council said it had a bid for CCTV in Croydon recently rejected by the Home Office. She said the Home Office prioritised areas and deemed Coulsdon a low crime area.

"In any event, CCTV would not have prevented the fires at the church or Cane Hill," she said.