THEY are rerenowned for their peaceful existence.

But Huddersfield's Buddhist community are involved in a dispute over damage to their headquarters.

The group live and work in the former Birkby Baptist Church and they claim they have had at least a dozen windows smashed since a games play area was opened next door.

The latest incident happened on Sunday night when a large stained glass window in the first floor of the building was smashed, sending glass over the floor of a meditation room.

The concerned Buddhists claim Kirklees Council are not doing enough to stop the problems caused by the play area.

But local concillor Mehboob Khan insists the area had been used for play for at least 20 years, long before the Buddhists arrived, and several things had been done to try and eradicate the problems.

He said police had arrested three youths in connection with Sunday's damage and fencing around the play area had been raised because of the concerns.

James MacDonald, the Buddhists' adminisrative director, said "We have a community here of ten people and we welcome people from others toi visit us.

"The problems caused by balls from the play area have got worse and something has to be done.

"We have already had to move our meditation from one room because otf the windows being broken and had people been in the other room on Sunday, they could have been seriously hurt by flying glass.

"We have held meetings with the police, with the council and with Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman but the problem still persists.

"The fense was made higher but there have been groups of young men in late at night and they cause more problems.

Clr Khan said three youths aged between 12 and 16 had been detained by police in connection with the vandalism on Sunday.

"This was a specific incident of deliberate vandalism and the police are dealing with that.

"We have had a number of meetings with the Buddhists to try and come to a solution and we approached the developers of the multi-sports games area and got them to raise the fence.

"If the area is used properly as a play area by youngsters there should be no problems.

"The land was used as an unofficial play area for many years until Cala Homes submitted a plan to develop it and included the games area in their designs."