Vandalism at Beccles Lido has come as a 'huge blow' to the team preparing it for the new season, its chief executive has said.

Carl Murray, skipper of the Big Dog Ferry and a volunteer at the lido, found spray painted obscenities had been sprayed on the patio in front of the changing rooms overnight when he arrived on Wednesday morning.

'It's a bit disheartening,' he said. 'The volunteers have put so much effort into the lido this winter, and to come in and find that.

'We've had the whole place completely redecorated and it's looking good, people put in a lot of time into the lido and it is upsetting.'

But the volunteers soon rallied round, scrubbing the patio clean and there will be a discussion around how the lido can improve its security in the wake of the incident.

Mr Murray said: 'We've had a constant stream of volunteers coming down and cleaning up. It makes you proud, the town does pull together.

'It's something the town is very, very proud of and I think that's why generally we don't get any trouble, it just takes a few people.'

Lido chief executive Shaun Crowley said: 'This is a massive blow to all the volunteers and others who have spent the last two months and continue to spend many hours on painting, gardening and general maintenance to get the Lido ready for opening on May 28.'

A Suffolk Police spokesman said they received a call at 9am on Wednesday with reports that white paint had been sprayed on the floor at Beccles Lido.

He said the incident was being connected with another call officers received the night before when a group of youths were reported to be climbing on boats in the Puddingmoor area and discharging fire extinguishers.

He said officers were sent to the scene at around 9pm on Tuesday and two teenage boys were spoken to about the incident.

He added: 'At this stage enquiries into both incidents are ongoing and we will be looking to see if they are linked.'

Anyone with information about either incidents should call Suffolk Police on 101 quoting crime reference number 26479/16 for the lido and 26410/16 for the boat incident.