Four schoolboys caused £30,000 worth of damage to a model railway exhibition after getting drunk on vodka during a “pre-exam night out”, a court heard.

The 16-year-old students deliberately trashed the display after breaking into the Stamford Welland Academy gym to play football in the early hours of the morning.

They pushed tables and threw parts of the trains and track layouts at the wall, in what was described as “mindless, wanton destruction”.

Members of the Market Deeping Model Railway Club said a “life’s work” had been ruined. Some displays had taken years to complete.

The boys, who cannot be identified because of their age, were arrested at the school after police responded to an intruder alarm and found them in the toilets at 4am on 18 May.

"Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club Show all 8 1 /8 "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club Peter Davis and Bill Sowerby from Market Deeping Model Railway Club were horrified to find that thousands of pounds worth of their equipment had been damaged in an attack by vandals Stamford Mercury / SWNS "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club A model train damaged in the vandal attack PA "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club Paul Andrews holds a diorama that was damaged in the vandal attack Stamford Mercury / SWNS "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club Track decoration damaged by vandals "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club Track decoration damaged by vandals PA "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club Track support damaged in the vandal attack SWNS "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club A view of the destruction PA "Total wanton destruction" - Vandals target model railway club Track support damaged in the vandal attack SWNS

They admitted criminal damage at Lincoln Youth Court and three of them were sentenced to 12-month referral orders.

Their parents were ordered to pay £500 each in compensation for the damage – a total of £1,500. The fourth boy will be sentenced next month.

John Lock, chair of the bench of magistrates, told the youths: “In nearly 20 years on the bench, I cannot recall such a case as this, of mindless, wanton destruction. It beggars belief. In the dead of night, when people are in their beds in the main, you were out playing football, which is extraordinary at that time of night.

“You came across the displays and models, all of you ... and not content with kicking a ball, you then went on a rampage. The mindlessness comes shining through.”

Mr Lock added: “It would not be right to put you into custody. You have all got good futures and it is right that you make best use of them. Nothing can compensate for what you did that night.”

More than £107,000 has already been raised by members of the public – including £10,000 from singer and model rail enthusiast Sir Rod Stewart – to repair the exhibitions.

Prosecutor Shelley Wilson told the court that one of the boys claimed that the initial damage was caused by accident when they started playing football.

“He said he went in to play football and to sleep,” ​said Ms Wilson. “They saw the displays but continued to play. He claimed it was accidental. He then said he pushed over a few displays and caused some damage, as did the others.”

One of the boys’ defence solicitors, Lynford Fuller, said they were “in drink” after sharing a bottle of vodka, which may have “impaired their judgment”.

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The youths apologised for their behaviour, while their parents said they were “ashamed” and “disappointed”.

One model railway enthusiast, John Kneeshaw from St Neots Model Railway Club, said he had suffered £15,000 worth of damage to his displays, which took 20 to 25 years to build.

“You can’t just buy them, they are all made by me and are unique,” he said in a statement read out in court. “I am in total shock as to what has happened and why. The cost emotionally is very high – this is years of work and I do not understand why anyone would want to do this. It is truly devastating. It had been systematically destroyed by whoever had done it – the damage is not repairable or replaceable.”