School garden wrecked

Staff and pupils at West End Primary School were left very annoyed and upset after the damage was caused to the school garden.

Headteacher Steve Wetherill said: “The children cultivated it over two or three years and helped maintain it. We are very upset that someone would go in and vandalise it.

“The children have put a lot of work into it and it is very disappointing.”

Police said that between 5pm on September 22 and 8am the next day, people entered the primary school grounds and caused damage to flower beds and vegetation.

A wooden planter was also stolen. Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting reference 245 of September 23.

The destruction of the school garden is one of several incidents of vandalism in the West End over the past few months.

Earlier this month a gang of up to 50 youths also ran amok in Heysham village. A 75-year-old man was punched to the ground and kicked after he confronted the gang outside Heysham Jubilee Institute.

Meanwhile, police issued a plea to parents because youths were refusing to leave Regent Park after closing time.

A police spokesman said: “The attendants are reporting numerous problems with youths refusing to leave when they are trying to lock up and finding litter that has been left in our lovely parks which in turn has to be cleaned up by someone else the next day.

“Residents near to Regent Park are suffering anti-social behaviour on a regular basis from youths congregating either just at the park gates or in the park itself, smoking, littering and playing loud music.

“Please can we ask that parents who are aware of their children going to play in the park make sure they know what time approximately dusk is and the park will be closed and you are not to re enter until the next day. This in turn will allow residents who live close to any of the parks a more peaceful evening and be left feeling a little less vulnerable in their own homes.”

Police said they joined forces with the council to tackle the litter problems and help the park attendant remove the youths at closing time. There is no suggestion that youths congregating in Regent Park are responsible for the vandalism at West End School.