A boat owner has called for increased security after vandals struck at Peel marina.

Laurie Henley’s offshore cruiser Kayla Rose was one of a number of vessels vandalised in the marina just before Christmas. Police are investigating.

The Henleys’ Shellfish boss, a former chairman of the Manx Fish Producers’ Association, is calling for improved lighting and CCTV monitoring and changes to make the security gate unbreachable.

He said: ’It’s very upsetting and very frustating. Security is a concern that should have been addressed a long time ago.’

Laurie had bought and refitted the Kayla Rose as a family retirement boat last year. It’s worth between £80,000-100,000.

Sometime overnight on December 22-23, vandals breached the entrance gate to the marina and slashed the cruiser’s deck covers with a knife.

Fortunately, the interior of the boat was secured so nothing was stolen.

Laurie said he discovered the vandalism when he took his grandchildren down to see the festive lights he had installed on the Kayla Rose. He estimates the damage could run to £1,000-plus.

Laurie said at least two to three other boats were targeted by vandals that night but it could be more as boat owners are still coming down to the marina to check if there has been damage to their vessels.

Laurie claimed: ’The gate, which is the one and only entrance point, can be breached just by climbing over it.

’They need to install static cameras rather than roving ones - and they need to be monitored. And they need sufficient lighting so that everybody can see if someone is breaching the gate. There should be somebody overseeing security at the marina.

’Douglas marina is totally unbreachable but there’s something of an Achilles’s heel here.’

Police have confirmed they are investigating the criminal damage to the Kayla Rose and another boat, Anemone, which was also berthed on the pontoons in Peel marina.

It is believed the damage took place between 4pm on Thursday December 21 and 5.30pm on Saturday December 23.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Peel police station on 842208.