Metal thieves have struck at a beauty spot on the Walsall-Sandwell border, stealing parts of a steel fence put up to stop yobs going on the rampage.

Railings costing £13,000 were put up around Moorcroft Wood Local Nature Reserve, in Moxley, to prevent anti-social behaviour.

But the site, off Hawkswood Drive, has now been targeted by thieves who have made off with part of the steel fence.

Councillor Paul Bott, independent representative for Darlaston South, said the attack was “disappointing”.

“The railings had been done really nicely and people did feel a lot safer being in the woods because of them,” he said.

“It was put in to protect wildlife in the woods from anti-social behaviour and yobs and it was creating a boundary for the wildlife.

“We don’t want this to become an on-going process where it is repaired and then stolen again.

“The people that do this may live in the area and might well be harming their own local community.

“It’s sad for something like this to happen because the friends group for the site has worked hard to get section 106 money from other schemes to fund this and money for the wood is scarce anyway.”

Council chiefs said around £500 of metal fencing had been stolen from the woods.

Moorcroft Wood is earmarked to become the home of a new £2 million visitor and wildlife centre.

The new building will become the Black Country and Birmingham headquarters of the WildlifeTrust and plans are expected to be submitted soon. It will feature a grass-lined wall to attract wildlife. Roadshows about the new centre were held last month and a bid for £1.25m of funding has been sent to the Regional Growth Fund