Vandals took control of a cherry picker and drove it through the glass roof of one of Bath’s historic listed buildings.

Supermarket chain Sainsbury’s had teamed up with Bath and North East Somerset Council for a programme of repair works at Green Park Station which is Grade II listed.

But vandals broke into the mobile crane unit at the weekend and extended its mechanical arm through the glass roof of the station.

Sainsbury’s leases the site from B&NES Council and the station building is managed by the Ethical Property Company.

A spokesman for Sainsbury’s said it had now stepped up security at the site and took immediate action after the incident to ensure all loose debris was removed.

The firm said in a statement: “Vandals entered the site and tampered with a cherry picker machine until they were able to start the engines and cause damage to slates and glass panels in the roof of the station building. Action was immediately taken by Sainsbury's to ensure all loose debris was removed and additional security supervision was put in place.

“The incident has been reported to local police and we are currently reviewing CCTV footage.”

Sainsbury’s store development project manager Alex Shearer added: “It is a great shame that this needless act of vandalism has caused a disruption to the works being undertaken to maintain and improve Green Park Station.

“I’m pleased to say though that the maintenance work will still go ahead as planned and we are currently sourcing materials for the additional tiling and glazing work that is needed to rectify the damage caused.”

The Ethical Property Company who took over management of the site from environmental charity Envolve which collapsed earlier this year.

Ethical Property Company Executive assistant Alice Goldsmith said: “We are not sure how this incident happened.

“We have to ask how this happened, why was it able to happen and who is going to repair it.”

The Green Park Station building, which is part of Sainsbury’s car park, is undergoing work on its roof and the road bridge to the entrance of the site is being cleaned and painted.