The top floor of a crime-hit multi-storey car park has shut for good amid “ongoing vandalism and anti-social behaviour”.

Ashford Borough Council says it has been left with no choice but to close the fourth storey of Edinburgh Road car park with immediate effect.

The car park has been beset with a number of incidents which the authority says was becoming too costly to continually clean up after.

This has included a number of occasions where yobs were seen hanging off railings and firing catapults at passers by.

There were also reports of youths spitting off the side of the which only reopened in December after concrete fell in on the second storey during last summer's heatwave.

Even today (Thursday), police were called over reports a group of teenagers with a moped suspected to be stolen were in the car park.

Officers attended and the group dispersed.

The Park Mall car park, which lies directly next to the Edinburgh Road site, is currently closed indefinitely while the council is forced to deal with the bizarre issue of stalactites growing from the ceiling.

A spokesman said: “The fourth floor of Edinburgh Road car park will be closing permanently from close of play today (Thursday October 19).

“Unfortunately we have had to take this measure due to ongoing vandalism and anti-social behaviour and the cost involved in repeatedly rectifying the damage caused.

“Floors one, two and three remain open for use. Use of floor four is low therefore this closure will not affect the availability of car parking.”

In March, Tenterden-based artist Mr Doodle completed a huge mural on the side of the car park.

The doodle, called Concrete Cluster, was part of an outdoor exhibition called Unframed, aimed at improving unsightly buildings in the town.