A POPULAR Leigh restaurant has been targeted by vandals.

Yobs hurled a rock at the front door of the Grove restaurant on the corner of Marine Parade and Belton Way.

The incident, which is believed to have happened overnight on Sunday, caused hundreds of pounds of damage to a door which has had to be replaced.

Owners Louise and Delvin Pitt were given the bad news by a customer on their day off on Monday.

Mrs Pitt said:” We were contacted by one of our regular customers who was on the way to work early in the morning. They messaged me to ask if we knew about it.

“There was a rock by the door so some moron had decided to throw it at our front door. It’s unbelievable . Why would they do that?”

Mrs Pitt, who has run the Grove with her husband for 12 years, added: “We don’t get a lot of trouble round here. I would expect this sort of thing to happen more on a Saturday night, not on a Sunday.

“It will cost us more than £500. We had just had the door painted and now it will have to be done again. The glass also had our flower design on it and opening times so that also has to be done again.”

However, the incident has proved how many supporters the restaurant has.

Mrs Pitt said: “Hopefully it was just an opportunist incident. The support we have had on social media like Facebook has been phenomenal. Well wishers have shared it 22,000 times. The fact we have got so much support gave us a warm feeling.

“This is a family business. It’s our bread and butter and we have put our life and soul in it. We did report it to police but I don’t think they will be able to catch them but I believe in karma.”

A police spokesman said: “Police received a call at 5.20am on Monday, May 8, to reports of a smashed window at the Grove restaurant, in Belton Corner, Leigh.

“Suspects smashed a window within a door at the premises between 6.30pm on Sunday, May 7, and the early hours of the following day. “

Anyone with information is asked to contact Southend police station on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555111.