VANDALISM marred the otherwise successful jubilee celebrations in Porthleven, the town council noted.

Coun John Strike said the town was plagued with "loutish yobs" - which included some teenage girls - throughout the festivities.

The young hooligans got drunk on cider and caused damage to property,Coun Strike said, including the theft of a flagpole from outside his own house.

Chairman Jill Green said cars were vandalised, and at least one vehicle was overturned.

"It's a group of people of indeterminate age who get inebriated and cause the damage," she said.

But she added when she tried to contact the police call centre, she could not get through to any officers. "I just got told: 'Your call is in a queue'," she said.

Coun Charles Budd agreed this was a problem. He said: "The police call centre doesn't seem to know where Porthleven is, let alone where the crime is."

Mrs Green suggested the council write to the Home Office voicing their complaint.

In defence of the police, Coun Dave Blanning said officers were unable to respond to crimes that they did not know about. He said urged people to call 999, rather than the call centre, if they saw a crime being committed.