Families have been left scratching their heads after a "Grinchy" vandal cut down their Christmas tree lights.

The mean-spirited saboteur struck late at night two days after Christmas, snipping the cables outside two homes in Bennells Avenue, near Whitstable.

Danny O'Sullivan, 47, had put two light-up reindeer in his front garden, along with twinkling lights in bushes.

"On Sunday night I put the lights on, then the next day I noticed the reindeer weren't coming on, and I realised two of the cables had been cut with wire-clippers," he said.

"I work with cables, so I can tell they were definitely cut.

"Which is more worrying - that somebody would have had to come up the drive with wire cutters late at night.

"Why they would have them on them at that time of night, I don't know."

Mr O'Sullivan's was not the only home targeted.

When he posted about the incident on his street's WhatsApp group, a family living a couple of doors down revealed their outdoor lights had also been cut on the night of December 27.

At a time when many are doing their utmost to brighten the dreary January season - with some people deciding to leave their festive lights up to bring some much-needed cheer during the lockdown - the acts of vandalism have come as a surprise.

Residents have been left questioning who would do such a thing.

"I was young once - I take it they are young - but never did anything like that," said Mr O'Sullivan.

"Perhaps it was just someone who'd had a bit too much Christmas cheer..."

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