A SPEED camera in a village has been vandalised - sparking fears it could spell a repeat of attacks which occurred last year.

In the latest incident, the 3ft-high fuse box of the speed camera in Wrotham Road, Meopham, was knocked over.

Parish councillor Bill Fisher said the fuse box, which is 5ft away from the camera, has now been fixed and a concrete base added to help make it more sturdy.

He said: "It was another case of vandalism on the speed camera.

"I looked for signs of them having had a chain or a rope around it but I really don't know how they did it."

The incident comes after three separate attacks on speed cameras last year.

The same camera, which was put in place to protect schoolchildren, had its top removed in the middle of the night last November.

The camera device was later recovered by police and replaced.

In October last year, a speed camera was ripped from its foundation in Valley Drive, Gravesend.

This was a month after a different device in Wrotham Road, Meopham, was pulled over in a similar way for the second time in two years.

Villagers are unsure if the latest attack means a repeat of the run of incidents last year.

Cllr Fisher said: "I sincerely hope it's the last attack on the cameras.

"They did not make a very good job of it.

"Before it's been a really professional job because they pulled the speed camera over and they actually sawed part of the component off."

Parish clerk Peter Tennyson said: "I think someone has done it deliberately.

"They probably nudged it with a vehicle."

He added: "We are obviously very worried last year's attacks might happen again.

"But this time we think it's just vandals as the attacks last year were more organised."

A north Kent police spokesman said no-one had been arrested over the incident and there was no evidence to link the attacks.