A new survey claims children cause more than £1,500 damage before they're 15. ADRIAN BUTLER spoke to parents in York about their little ones'

upsets

BUYING children's Christmas presents may seem expensive - but parents often end up spending much more on the trail of damage their little ones leave behind them over the years.

By the time they're 15, the average child has left a trail of £1,556 in catastrophes, according to research by insurance company Zurich.

York resident Robert Watt's son is only two, but he's already managed to accumulate breakages of more than £1,000.

"He's broken loads of stuff," said Mr Watt. "The worst thing was probably my Sky Digital box."

It's probably a safe bet that Mr Watt's tearaway doesn't know Brian Reid's little angel. That proud father claims: "He's cost me no more than £20," only breaking the odd cup and plate.

Nonetheless, both dads agree that boys are worse than girls, and they're probably right. The survey found that while a quarter of boys have given the glaziers extra business, only 11 per cent of girls have smashed a window.

But maybe girls prefer to be a bit more creative in their damage - like 41 per cent of children, Joanna Keenleyside's four-year-old daughter has turned graffiti artist and drawn on the walls.

"But she's cost me no more than £50 in damage," her mum said.

Corrine Brown's three children may not have done anything worse than spill a four-pint carton of milk over the kitchen floor, but these little accidents soon add up - they've cost their mum £100.

If another child caused damage at their home, the survey said 62 per cent of parents in Yorkshire would make the other parents pay.

Yet out on the streets of York, everyone either claimed they would pay themselves or said it would depend on the situation.

"I'd definitely pay myself," said Mrs Brown.

Updated: 12:00 Saturday, December 21, 2002