A FREE running woodland course which was funded by the Lottery has been removed because of vandalism.

The trail at Basing Wood, also known as Carpenters Down, in Popley, was installed on the Forestry Commission land by Chances4Change, which is funded by the Big Lottery Fund.

It was installed in 2009, behind Popley Fields Community Centre, but has now been taken down by the Forestry Commission.

A spokesman for the Forestry Commission said: “We had put signs on site several months ago telling people we were going to have to remove the free running structure before it became unsafe.

“Sadly the number of people using it had dropped significantly and it was being hit by vandalism, graffiti and other anti-social behaviour.

“There are no immediate plans to replace the structure but we are exploring more robust options for the future.”

David Potter, Popley East borough councillor, said: “There wasn’t a consultation.

“Unless you are a frequent user you aren’t going to see the notices.

“I’m disappointed to hear it’s gone.

“Obviously we have been plagued by the odd bit of vandalism in that area and it’s very hard to monitor it constantly.

“But it’s meant to be for random use and you can’t patrol it all the time. What a shame.”

The course was constructed using felled trees, and was installed following a consultation with the community.