High jump bed destroyed and synthetic surfaced badly scorched after youths set section of Par track alight on Halloween.

While many youngsters were enjoying a night of trick-or-treating on Halloween on October 31, a group of youths in Cornwall instead chose set fire to part of the track in Par, near St Austell, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

There are only two all-weather athletics tracks in Britain's most south-westerly county – the other being Carn Brea in the Redruth-Camborne area – and both have come under threat of vanishing in the last 20 years, although Par track has been thriving lately under a community ownership scheme and it enjoyed a total resurfacing in 2017.

The high jump area of the track might now need a further facelift, however, after the damage caused when the high jump bed and metal cover were set alight, leading to scorching of the surrounding synthetic surface due to the heat.

"This senseless act has left our community devastated," said Par Track Ltd. "Par Track is a vital local facility — run with pride, care and commitment — providing a safe, welcoming space for people of all ages to be active, social and healthy. It’s a place where friendships are formed, confidence grows, and the community comes together."

Despite being in a far and rural corner of the UK, athletes spotted training on the track in recent years include middle-distance runners Elliot Giles and Adam Fogg, whereas Olympic distance runner Chris Thompson has used it regularly as he has strong links with the area as the family of his wife, Jemma Simpson, live in nearby Polgooth.

What's more, Lawrence Okoye, the British record-holder in the discus, ended his season at Par's traditional late-season 'Last Ditch Throws' meeting in 2024.

Individual athletes aside, the track is the home of Newquay & Par AC and is used by other clubs such as St Austell Running Club, St Austell Athletes and Newquay Road Runners. Cyclists and footballers are among the other sports using the facility and there is a busy cafe overlooking the track which is used by local parents, dog walkers and holiday-makers.

"Unfortunately, the cost to repair the damage will run into tens of thousands of pounds," Par Track Ltd added. "This incident will also have a serious impact on Newquay and Par Athletics Club, who are based at the track and use the high jump facility on a weekly basis. The club plays a vital role in supporting athletes of all ages and abilities, and it is heartbreaking to see their training and development disrupted by this senseless act.

"At Par Track, we work hard to provide a facility that our community can be proud of — a safe and welcoming space for everyone. It’s deeply upsetting that a small group of mindless individuals are intent on destroying what so many people work tirelessly to maintain."

Thanks to CCTV in the area, Police believe they know who committed the damage and they are currently gathering more evidence as their investigations continue.

St Austell Police said: "We suspect that the offender(s) was from a small group of young people who we are aware of causing ASB in the area.

"We recognise it is the the police's responsibility to prevent crime and ASB and we are doing the best with our resources to tackle it. A number of the team were out on patrol in Par during the evening but also had to cover the other towns and villages in the policing area in the same period. We unfortunately cannot maintain a constant presence in one area with a finite amount of officers.

"It is the responsibility of those offenders and their parents or guardians to have respect for the community which they live in. Parents also need to take responsibility for their children's actions and be aware of who they associate with and where they are.

"We will be seeking a court prosecution for any identified offenders and supporting a compensation claim for any of those found guilty. This may result in those offenders and their appropriate adults paying thousands in pounds to contribute to the repair of the track.

"If you have any information to assist our enquiries please contact us online or via 101 quoting crime reference 50250281695."

In the meantime, Par Track Ltd has started a funding page to help efforts to restore the track to its previous condition. You can help here: https://gofund.me/2ab350aa2