POLICE are investigating an act of vandalism at a National Trust beauty spot in North Yorkshire.

At around 8.45pm last Friday, a group of five young people were seen pushing a rock at the top of one of the crags at Brimham Rocks, near Ripon, North Yorkshire Police said.

A spokesman for the force added: "This resulted in the rock falling from the crag causing damage to the crag face.

"The damage this has caused is irreplaceable and it is now in a potentially dangerous condition.

"The incident has not only caused considerable damage to both the rock and the crag face, but those responsible also put themselves in danger and have created a potential hazard for other visitors to Brimham Rocks."

Anyone with information about the identity of those responsible should phone 101 and quote reference 12180097959.