Vandals destroy willow sculpture at Ladybirds Nursery in Huntington

Ladybirds nursery staff Nina Simpson, Giouanna Gioiello and Nickey Beveridge with children inside the vandalised willow arch Ladybirds nursery staff Nina Simpson, Giouanna Gioiello and Nickey Beveridge with children inside the vandalised willow arch

HEARTBROKEN children at a York nursery have seen part of their new garden and nature area destroyed by vandals.

A willow arch, which was created with money from a council grant, at Ladybirds Nursery in Huntington, was destroyed after the vandals cut it along its full length.

Nursery manager Nina Simpson said it was unlikely the arch would be replaced because money from the grant had now run out.

She said the damage was noticed after the staff and children came back from their Christmas break.

“Somebody has cut all the top off so it’s not an arch any more,” she said.

“We lease some land from Joseph Rowntree School which we have developed into a woodland for the children to enjoy.

“It took a lot of creating and was really expensive to do. There’s no way we would be able to afford to do this again.”

“We got funding from the Government but that’s been drastically reduced now.”

She said: “The children are saying ‘we don’t have a tunnel now – the naughty girls and boys have broken it’.”

The area is also used by local Cub and Rainbow groups and there is access for the public through the nearby church grounds, which Miss Simpson said meant people would congregate there on an evening.

“There are often crisp packets and empty drink cans,” she said.

“It’s obvious other people are using the area, which we don’t mind as long as they respect it.

“It’s a shame that an area created to improve the children’s outdoor experience has been damaged in such a way.”

Comments(10)

Pedro says...
9:40am Tue 29 Jan 13

The scum strike again.

Podlet says...
9:48am Tue 29 Jan 13

So what say, instead of bemoaning the people who did it, why don't we all contribute £1 each to get it fixed up again? Can someone at the nursery/cub/rainbow groups co-ordinate this?

xtc says...
9:53am Tue 29 Jan 13

Pedro wrote:
The scum strike again.
The same scum who think their all that and them some bet no ones boasting about it,hope jo do may do something for them!?

AngryandFrustrated says...
9:57am Tue 29 Jan 13

Podlet wrote:
So what say, instead of bemoaning the people who did it, why don't we all contribute £1 each to get it fixed up again? Can someone at the nursery/cub/rainbow groups co-ordinate this?
We can do both. To the scum that did this - I hope you are really, really proud of your efforts - nothing like destroying a children's area at a nursery for making yourselves feel like real men and women. Big pat on the back for that one - upsetting children is a really macho grown up thing to do.

As for Podlet's other suggestion - I'll quite happily throw a few shillings into a fund to get it replaced.

bob the builder says...
10:42am Tue 29 Jan 13

Those who did it probably can't read, or write for that matter so catching them and making them write a letter of apology will be pointless. Now we're told not to walk alone at night as people are attacked, set alight or murdered, whilst they tell us that crime is decreasing. Something is seriously wrong in society.

Capt. Dobie says...
12:44pm Tue 29 Jan 13

We need guardian angels like on the New York Subway.


Or vigilanties!!!

Omega Point says...
1:35pm Tue 29 Jan 13

The look on those little ones faces just make this all the more sad.

Sillybillies says...
1:57pm Tue 29 Jan 13

Those who did it probably can't read, or write for that matter so catching them and making them write a letter of apology will be pointless. Now we're told not to walk alone at night as people are attacked, set alight or murdered, whilst they tell us that crime is decreasing. Something is seriously wrong in society.

Yes, this -

http://www.yorkpress
.co.uk/news/10190334
.Teenager_who_set_bo
y_alight_must_say___
_sorry___/

Sillybillies says...
2:02pm Tue 29 Jan 13

And this -

http://www.yorkpress
.co.uk/news/10188865
.Nestl___metal_thiev
es_avoid_going_to_pr
ison/

inthesticks says...
11:05pm Tue 29 Jan 13

There`s no point replacing it, they will only damage it again. Take a look at children`s parks, everything is now made of metal or poles the size of telegraph poles.
The huge fort at Valley Gardens was set on fire last year. This has to be the best equipped park and they have to be some of the luckiest kids in the area to have had it, but several little t***s ruin it for everyone.
I`m with Capt. Dobie - vigilanties is the future i`m afraid; cuts to police numbers will ensure that.

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