A fishermen from the Carrick Roads has seen his "pride and joy" working boat damaged after it was apparently tipped over on purpose and left vulnerable to the sea.

Erin Bastian said her father Mike had been working and living in the local community all his life.

She explained that at the end of March the oyster fishing season comes to an end and over the summer the fishermen store their boats on public beaches set aside by local councils for local people to use.

They lay the boat up for safe keeping and to allow them to work, fix and get them ready for the following winter.

Mike's boat, which was new this year, was laid up at Penpol creek at Feock. However, last night it appears to have been the victim of a vandalism attack.

Mike in his tipped boat after the supports were removed. Picture: Erin Bastian

Mike in his tipped boat after the supports were removed. Picture: Erin Bastian

Erin said: "My dad saved this year for a new boat, his pride and joy, an old wooden working boat. Many people will see them out on the water from October to March, working by hand, using sail power alone.

"This week someone has callously damaged my dad's boat by digging up his anchor, and unbolting one of his support legs.

"I am mortified to see my dad's livelihood vandalised. His boat without support legs has fallen over, leaving it vulnerable to being swamped by sea water, all because of someone’s appalling intentions to intimidate and threaten a local fisherman from using a public foreshore.

"I find it shocking that a local person could do this to another – to actively damage another’s livelihood so callously in such a calculated manner."

The boat tipped over after its supports were removed. Picture: Erin Bastian

The boat tipped over after its supports were removed. Picture: Erin Bastian

The boat was left lying on its side in the mud, with the family having to go down at 3am to try and prop it back up on the high tide to save the engine from flood damage.

Fortunately the mission was a success and the boat was righted again, with the family now hoping to move it off the beach to somewhere safer.

As if that wasn't enough though, Erin says she was brought to tears this morning after checking on the boat in daylight, when she was sworn at and told to leave the village.

She claims a man jumped out of his car after slamming down on his horn and "hurling abuse" at her.

The boat back upright on Saturday morning. Picture: Erin Bastian

The boat back upright on Saturday morning. Picture: Erin Bastian

"I wasn’t welcome, even when I told him I wasn’t a tourist," she said.

"I told him I was local and I was just checking my dad's boat. He threatened to call the police on me for parking my van in a public council car park?

"I have to admit his aggressive and unnecessary confrontation reduced me to tears."

Despite being shocked by his behaviour, Erin said she wanted to thank all those who were friendly and welcoming, adding: "I would like to thank the local boat owners who keep an eye out for each other’s boats. They rang my dad to tell him as soon as they could. Thanks to them we prevented a lot of costly damage."

Anyone who knows who was responsible for the vandalism, saw what happened or noticed anything suspicious is asked to contact police by calling 101 or emailing 101@dc.police.uk and quote crime reference CR-32137-21.