A damning dossier of criminal damage on a city housing estate has been compiled by a university student who says more needs to be done to stop it.

Tia Chapman has recorded more than 25 incidents of vehicles having their windows smashed since she moved into digs in September.

Both her housemates have fallen victim to vandals - one twice, having had her car repaired just three weeks earlier.

The incidents have all been on the Spring Lane estate near where they live and park their cars.

“It has just got too much and something needs to be done to put a stop to it,” said 20-year-old Tia, who is studying primary education at Christ Church University.

Although her car has escaped damage, both her housemates, Kloe Collard and Melinda Taylor, have had to pick up the bill for hundreds of pounds to replace smashed windows.

But the scale of the problem was fully revealed when Tia posted on the Canterbury Residents Facebook page asking if anyone else had suffered damage.

It sparked a flood of reports from angry residents which prompted her to compile a dossier of incidents she now plans to present to the police and city council.

“I thought I might get a handful of reports but they have just kept coming.

“It just seems to be happening weekly now and is just senseless criminal damage.

“Nothing is generally being stolen from the vehicles.

“Rocks and stones have been found on the car seats surrounded by broken glass so it is certainly deliberate.”

Melinda, 21, who is also studying primary education, added: “It has cost me almost £200 to replace the windows which is a lot of money when you are on a student budget.”

Tia says the vast majority of attacks, which happen at night, have been reported to police but the damage is continuing.

“What it really needs is more police patrols and perhaps CCTV in Spring Lane which I think think the council should consider,” she said.

“I am hoping that by giving the police this dossier, they will appreciate how serious it is and the cost to the victims.

“It is happening too often not to be given some sort of special attention.”

Police are investigating.

A spokesman said: “Kent Police is investigating after receiving reports of criminal damage, theft from vehicles and vehicle interference in the area of Spring Lane, Canterbury.

“The incidents were reported between October and November 2018.

“Officers from the Community Safety Unit in Canterbury are carrying out enquiries in order to establish whether these reports are linked and would ask any witnesses or anyone with new information to call 101.”