A FAMILY that invested thousands of pounds on their Christmas lights has been left heart broken by an act of "pure evil".

After leaving the home for just an hour on Thursday night, Paul and Heather Reynolds' returned home to discover their Christmas tradition of ten years had been ransacked by vandals.

The Reynolds family, who live on Bryneithin Avenue, were just one family who were targeted in a spate of vandalism aimed at three Christmas displays in Prestatyn and one in Meliden in the same evening.

The display, which went live on Saturday, December 1 took Paul and a friend two days to set up in November - the last quiet time before a busy period for his plastering business - as well as a further half day to wire

Paul said: "From what I can see anything they could steal they made off with, and everything else they just ripped down and snapped all of the leads.

"Thousands of pounds of stuff - it's all knackered.

"We were only gone for an hour, when we came back Heather was absolutely heartbroken and I was fuming."

Heather, who owns the Beauty Spot on the High Street, said: "I can't tell describe the devastation they've left behind - It's just pure evil."

Following a post on social media by daughter Hollie, the family have received an outpouring of support for their popular display.

Paul added: "We first started 10 years ago, and we've been slowly building it up over the years.

"Over that time, people and their families have come from all over the place every year to see our lights - we even let them park in our drive so they can look at them."

A spokesperson for North Wales Police said: "We were contacted on Thursday, November 13 to three incidents of criminal damage incidents on Bryneithin Avenue, Canterbury Drive and Maes Tegid.

"All incidents involved Christmas decorations."

Suzzanne Lee, of Ffordd Pennant in Meliden was also targeted, with thieves making off with some Santa Stop Sign lights and damaging other parts of her display and has since had CCTV installed as a response.

Ms Lee said: It's not so much the cost of replacing it, it’s the fact someone had been in and taken from us that makes me feel so angry. We have done this for years and this is the first time we've had a theft or damage."

Suzzanne has since been able to restore one set of lights that had been torn down and left by vandals.

Mr Reynolds added: "I've not fully been through everything yet, I'm absolutely chocka with work at the moment, so I've not been able to see if anything can be salvaged.

"It's not very likely I'll be able to fix it before Christmas, and this means is that we'll have to spend more money to replace them next year.

"Whether it was just through jealousy or a prank that's gone too far, I can't believe anyone would stoop so low at Christmas - I just can't comprehend why?"

Anyone with any information on the acts of vandalism can contact police by calling 101 and quoting reference number W177210.

"I just can't comprehend why somebody would do this?"