MEDWAY bandsmen say they will stay away from a town's park after their concert was wrecked by yobs. The KM Medway Concert Brass Band show had to be abandoned after youths on bicycles invaded the bandstand in Pencester Gardens, Dover.

Louts also verbally taunted the players, skated and skateboarded around the pavilion and kicked footballs at it. Now David Wynn, secretary of the umbrella group the Medway Towns Bands, has told the town council it will book no more shows there.

His letter said: "The band played under the most intolerable conditions. They were extremely upset that the afternoon was made into such a miserable and disappointing time by a handful of errant youths. The KM Medway Bands no longer wish to be considered for concerts at this venue in future years. It is unfair to engage any performers to give concerts in such a hostile environment.''

The show was the first of the year at the park's Millennium Pavilion. The band will still play in other Dover venues and honour the commitment of a remaining Pencester show on September 1. But it will book no more engagements at the pavilion after that.

Dover Mayor Cllr Diane Smallwood has written to the players, apologising.

She said: "I hope the band will be able to reconsider its position regarding concerts in future years when our track record can convince everyone that this was just one unfortunate but isolated occurrence.''