18 July 2012 Last updated at 04:36 ET

Youths damage Maryport's Senhouse Roman Museum

Youths who caused thousands of pounds of damage to a museum in Cumbria are being sought by police.

The gang broke into the watch tower at Maryport's Senhouse Roman Museum on Saturday night.

Police said that once inside they smoked and drank alcohol, with their behaviour resulting in extensive damage to the tower's fixtures and fittings.

Cumbria Police appealed to anyone with information, or anyone who saw anything suspicious, to contact them.

The museum displays unique examples of Romano-British religious sculpture, with one of the largest groups of Roman military altar stones and inscriptions in Britain.

The collection, which was begun by the Senhouse family in the 1570s, is thought to be one of the oldest in the country, and is of international importance.