There are public safety concerns after youths were spotted on the grounds Wallingford Castle, leading to damage. 

Wallingford Castle was saved from ruin in 2023 following a grant of almost £300,000 from Historic England.

Youths have been spotted climbing the castle by a system installed recently which captures live images of trespassers.

The system consists of a camera linked to pressure and motion sensors which captures a live image if someone is in an area they aren't supposed to be. 

These incidents have led to damage of the castle which the Mayor of Wallingford Daniel Beauchamp said is "frustrating".

READ MORE: Oxford: Botley Road will not reopen as planned in October

Mr Beauchamp said: "Having got that money and having all the work done which was earlier this year, it’s then frustrating that people damaging all the work we’ve just had done.

"We’re not going to get that money again."

However, he does not believe this is being done with malicious intent and instead has concerns for safety.

"The problem we’ve got isn’t necessarily people going out with malicious intent, but it's people not respecting what it is essentially," He said.

"Within 48 hours of the day we put it in [the system] we had two incidents of kids up on the remains.

"What scared us the most is one of the pictures was two kids at the top of the tower bit and he straddled over the wall – all it would have taken was a little slip, like a bird flying at him.

"The drop is eight to 10 metres down, if he'd have gone over - I’m a parent and I know kids will be kids - but the idea of your kids falling at that kind of level, we're talking about life changing injuries at best.

The ledge of the castle the children were spotted on The ledge of the castle the children were spotted on (Image: Dan Beauchamp)

"People could die basically, for the sake of just a bit of silliness."

Mr Beauchamp explained that him and the council are taking a "reactionary" approach by going down the education route, such as liaising with local schools of the youths involved.

"We are trying to educate, we’re not trying to get the police involved or criminalise anyone, we’re just trying to make them aware that these are historic and we should respect our home, this will cost people money potentially in their council tax if we have to do more work on it because we are not going to get those grants again.

READ MORE: Oxford man given football ban order after drugs incident

"Perhaps most importantly, this is your wellbeing at stake and you could really hurt yourself at best," Mr Beauchamp said. 

"If there's a way to use this to educate then we'll do that."

Mr Beauchamp did not rule out getting the police involved in the future. 

The Mayor and the council are also looking at further options to prevent incidents happening including growing prickly plants and bushes.