The lifeboat station receives about 25 emergency calls a year

Stones off the beach in Borth were used to smash a toughened window at the lifeboat station, showering its rubber in-shore rescue boat in glass.

Twice it was taken off call for an hour while it was cleaned.

As the village gears up for the start of the holiday season, lifeboat managers condemned the vandals for potentially putting lives at risk.

Dyfed-Powys Police are investigating both attacks and are appealing for witnesses.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institute's (RNLI) manager in Borth, Ron Davies, said the vandals had put lives at risk.

"While the boat was cleaned twice it was not on call and if there had been an emergency there would have been a problem," he said.

"We couldn't go out to sea in a boat with glass in it. It wouldn't have been safe for the crew or the people they were rescuing."

He added: "Large stones were used to smash the wired glass window a week last Tuesday. We replaced it at a cost of �100 and then last Friday it was smashed again and we haven't replaced it yet.

"With the holiday season starting this weekend, we don't want this to happen again."

Inspector Mark James, of Dyfed-Powys Police in Aberystwyth, said officers were increasing patrols in the area in an attempt to prevent further attacks.

The lifeboat station deals with about 25 emergency calls a year.