VANDALS have once again set alight bins near to a Canvey beach.

Two bins were set alight on Friday night along the seawall, but luckily a passerby spotted the flames and was able to use her daughter’s water bottle to put them out.

Sadly, this is not the first time this month mindless vandals have targeted the seawall.

Bins, which were installed by the voluntary group Friends of Concord Beach, were destroyed after being set alight earlier this month.

Offensive messages were also scrawled over the seawall at Concord Beach, which has been lovingly restored with a series of colourful murals by local artists.

A woman who was walking past at the time took to social media to highlight the problem.

She said: “Today while walking my dog with my daughter down the seawall I was approached by some people who asked if I had any water as one of the bins had been set on fire.

“Luckily I had my daughter’s water bottle.

“When I approached the bin it had flames coming from it and I managed to put it out with the water I had.

“We all walked around the corner and found another bin alight but this one managed to put itself out.

“We did see some people acting a little weirdly before this happened but as no evidence we cannot point the finger.”

Colin Letchford, 69, who is a member of Friends of Concord Beach, said the voluntary group wouldn’t let the petty acts of vandalism stop them.

He said: “When we started in 2010, we knew that there would be petty vandalism.

“We have taken to keeping to out own standard of having it cleaned up within 24 hours to stop whoever is doing it being able to boast to their friends. Sometimes, there are bits of vandalism that no one sees, because we spot it at 6.30am and by 9am it is cleaned up.

“I only know of four serious incidents of vandalism - and three of those to the best of my knowledge were caused by adults, not children.”

Despite the recent incidents, Mr Letchford is not supportive of the group getting CCTV cameras to monitor the seawall. He explained that there were ways for people to hide their identities and there were more serious issues for the police to deal with