The county’s most prolific catapult hotspots have been revealed with one town suffering the most reported incidents for its fifth year running.

Ashford has been plagued with smashed bus shelters and street lights, alongside injured and killed animals, believed to have been caused by fired stones over the past 12 months.

Stagecoach was even forced to suspend services after a moving bus carrying passengers had a window blasted out by a suspected slingshot attack in September last year.

And while police insist it has powers to stop, search and confiscate from those believed to be carrying the potentially deadly weapons, some say more needs to be done.

Elsewhere in the county, Maidstone had the second most catapult-related incidents with 31 in 2022, followed by Sevenoaks which had 27.

Jessica Heasman, of Singleton, first sounded the alarm two years ago when her rescue cat Trousers was maimed by a catapult blow.

Speaking to KentOnline this week, she claimed many others have since been targeted with the weapons – but choose not to inform the police “because nothing gets done”.

"Trousers’ nose is not the same as it was so he often snores and he has a battle scar," the mum explained.

"Although we have been lucky he survived, there have been many others, even general wildlife that have been targeted and have been killed.

"It does make me quite annoyed that the numbers are not dropping and it does not seem to be that anything is being done about it.

"I have spoken to a lot of people who have been targeted by catapult-related incidents and that they have not bothered going to the police because nothing gets done."

Describing how Trousers is no longer allowed to leave the house at night for his safety, she went on: "I have seen so many stories of people and animals being injured in a catapult-related incident.

"I have now moved but I do not let my cat out at night now.

"The worrying thought is what is it going to take for the police to step in and do their job properly? It might be a small child or an elderly person who is attacked. It could result in death and sadly it could take something like that happening for them to step in and take action.

"It does make me feel quite angry because when I reported it I was basically pushed aside.

Mrs Heasman said she was handed a crime reference number following the attack but officers were unable to trace the perpetrator.

She also faced £2,000 vet bills.

In a KentOnline freedom of information request, figures reveal 201 reports of alleged catapult-related crime were made to police last year - 49 of which came from Ashford.

In short, the town generated almost a quarter of all reports made from August 2022 – August 2023.

Earlier this year, residents reported feeling unsafe when walking in the Trinity Road area of Kennington after broken glass was left covering pavements and bus shelters were regularly smashed.

In a bid to tackle the anti-social behaviour, temporary CCTV has now been installed at a troubled park where youngsters were using a piece of play equipment as a “watchtower” to fire shots from.

Independent ward councillor Winston Michael said he was “very worried” for the safety of residents, adding some had told him they no longer felt safe walking near the play area in Goat Lees.

Speaking to KentOnline last month, he said: “Some residents have also told me that when they have been walking their dogs in the twilight hours, they have seen kids with catapults and even during the day, firing catapults at birds.”

Most recently, an investigation was launched by police after a seagull was killed at the hand of someone armed with one of the devices.

The incident happened on August 8 in Stanhope and the investigation is ongoing.

Fed up with the high number of offences, Kent Police volunteer Peter New, started a petition in 2022 to make carrying catapults illegal.

However, it did not get enough signatures to go to Parliament.

Mr New has spoken of his anger at the number of catapult-related incidents in Ashford over the past year and has described the behaviour as appalling.

He is also urging residents to report every incident so a crime number can be obtained and issues can be followed up with the police.

Speaking to KentOnline he described those carrying out the attacks as “feral”.

“They do not care that much about the criminal damage to vehicles and property strikes at some of the residents who are already struggling with the rising cost of living and £150 to replace a window cripple their budgets,” he said.

“Catapults are a problem in Ashford.

“Firstly I worry that not all incidents are reported as some residents' insurance excess is more than the costs so they don’t need a crime number so they don’t report and we are blind then to the extent.

“Secondly, and as worrying, is residents feel the police won’t act it’s not worth wasting our time”.

“Next, the police may feel that advice, guidance and not criminalising young persons is the right approach all I would say is ask residents who have had property damaged, vehicles damaged, seen Swans at Singleton Lake shot at, had cats shot at and hit. Also, ask the bus companies who have had bus shelters shot and destroyed, and ask the bus companies who had to suspend bus services due to the safety of drivers and passengers.

“Let’s not wait until someone suffers a life-changing injury. Report every single catapult incident no matter how small even if you are not claiming on insurance. We need to know the extent of the problem.

“If you see youths with catapults that is a 999 call immediately. Don’t be deflected by using 101 or reporting online, ring 999 that is a crime in progress or potential crime in progress. Force Control will determine the level of response.”

Elsewhere in the county, Maidstone had the second most catapult-related incidents with 31 in 2022, followed by Sevenoaks which had 27.

Folkestone and Hythe and Thanet were at the other end of the spectrum, with no reports made last year.

Ashford was first given the title of catapult crime capital of the county in 2019.

Of the 80 slingshot reports made in 2018, 27 of them were in Ashford – compared to only 10 in the district in 2016.

These numbers, which more than doubled in 2018, came just after a dad-of-two had suffered nasty face injuries at the hand of a person armed with a catapult.

It is not illegal to own or carry a catapult unless a solid link can be found between the carrier and a crime, but there are now calls for a change in the law.

District Commander for Ashford, Chief Inspector Sarah Rivett said anti-social behaviour caused by those with catapults is unacceptable.

“I would like to reassure residents that the figures alone do not highlight all the good work that officers do to keep Ashford safe,” she said.

“While most children will have nothing to do with catapults, there is unfortunately a minority who will carry them. Often when we speak to any child who has been found with a catapult, they have not considered their actions and the severe damage they might cause to property or another person.

“In January 2022 officers on patrol witnessed a teenage boy firing a catapult at a building in the town and stopped him. No damage was caused and it was agreed with the building’s owner that the boy receive a community resolution where he was made aware of the impact his actions might have had and agree not to possess a catapult again.”

She added, officers are mindful that sometimes the offenders can be quite young they work with partners to divert them away from this behaviour.

“Our community safety unit takes part in Safety In Action, an annual event aimed at the district’s Year 6 pupils where we speak about the dangers, risks and consequences of catapult-related crime and anti-social behaviour.

“Following a report of children attempting to cause damage to a bus in Kimberley Way in January 2022, officers worked quickly with CCTV operators to track the children, who were located and had their catapult immediately confiscated. Work remains ongoing with other agencies to deal with those responsible.

“There is no reason for young people to be carrying these weapons and we urge parents to speak to their children and make sure they are not in possession of one. We have the power to stop and search anyone we believe is carrying a catapult and is suspected of using it to cause damage or harm. Consider this as a warning: anyone caught will risk prosecution.”