Parking meter vandals have been condemned as “terrorists”.

Attacks on meters in East Sussex have caused damage worth nearly £340,000 over the last four years, it has emerged.

While the problem hit the headlines in 2007 when fireworks were used to blow the meters up, East Sussex County Council has revealed the damage has continued unabated.

Lewes is the main hotspot with 31 reports on Prince Edward’s Road and 22 in High Street.

While fireworks are now less common, there were 50 reports of damage across the county between April 2008 and March 2009, costing over £80,000, and 47 so far this year.

Dog faeces, lolly sticks and a mixture of biscuit and glue are among the substances used to put the meters out of action.

Councillor Matthew Lock, the county council’s cabinet member for transport and environment, condemned the people behind the attacks.

He said people should engage with local politics instead of taking direct action over policies they disagree with.

In an interview with the BBC yesterday he said: “They are vandals.

“They don’t have a place in a society that is democratically run.

“It is an act of terrorism what some of them are doing.”