Vandals caused thousands of pounds of damage when they went on the rampage through a seaside town armed with a can of spray paint.

Househoulders in Worthing awoke to discover their cars had been daubed with silver paint by the gang.

Care nurse Rebecca Embleton, 18, of Oxford Road, left her H-reg Ford Fiesta around the corner in Cambridge Road, on Friday night.

She said: "I arrived home from work at about 8.30pm on Friday and there was nowhere near my house to park so I drove round the corner.

"I was going to walk to work on Saturday but there were spaces outside my flat so I thought I'd move my car.

"When I saw it I couldn't believe it. There was paint all down the driver's side, from the bonnet, along the door and on the boot.

"There was another car in a driveway whose boot had been covered and at least four or five other cars.

"I just can't believe anyone could be so stupid. It's going to cost at least £500 to get my car re-sprayed and it's just such a waste of money."

A police spokesman appealed for anyone who had seen the offenders to contact the force on 0845 6070 999.