South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2006 | February | 17
From the archive, first published Friday 17th Feb 2006.
VANDALS have ripped up a popular Thornbury public garden using mini motorbikes.
Heartbroken volunteers were this week coming to terms with yet more damage to Thornbury Community Garden following the an attack on Monday night.
"This is a nasty act of vandalism, something we have had to learn to face over the past year," said garden project officer Adrian Jones, one of the volunteers who look after the special 'sensory' garden set up to provide a safe haven for vulnerable people and wildlife.
"The group has used mini motorbikes and left large marks on the lawn, ruining months of hard work by volunteers.
"It is very upsetting for the volunteers and the public who have come to accept that we are an easy target."
Mr Jones said that work to repair the lawn would cost time and money, which could have been spent working on a new project in the garden.
"Vandalism like this usually occurs during school holidays," he added.
"It causes such a mess and annoys the volunteers who we rely on for the garden's upkeep."
David Shaul, a garden project volunteer, said the garden was impossible to protect against future offences such as this.
"We could lock the garden up at night but people can just climb over the fences and hedges easily.
"I hate to say it but this is something the workers will just have to face, repair the damage and move on."
Acting police sector sergeant Ian Nash said that the police were aware of the incident and hoped to work towards stopping any future vandalism at the garden.
"We are committed to stopping vandals in the area," he said.
"Mini mopeds have been a thorn in our side for a while now and we will look to catch those people committing such offences as this."
He appealed to anyone with information to call 0845 456 7000.
© Newsquest Media Group 2008