Charity boss 'gutted' after vandals strike pensioners' garden and Parkhill PS

The callous criminals buckled the roof of a new smoking shelter in Arden House’s grounds on Commercial Road.

They pulled up all the plants and smashed plant pots, strewing debris, including broken glass bottles, across the garden.

Margaret Gear, manager, said staff atthe day centre - which offers vital services to vulnerable pensioners - were sickened when they saw the damage this morning.

She said: “Carol our cleaner arrived and when she opened the blinds that was the first thing that confronted her.

“I’m gutted, absolutely gutted.

“The only pleasure some of the elderly have is their ciggie.”

Furthermore, the vandals appear to have moved on to the grounds of Parkhill Primary School next door.

A window, which had been smashed in and boarded up on Tuesday, was broken into again and left unsecure.

CCTV cameras at the location had been smashed earlier in the week.

Mrs Gear said: “Normally they come into our garden at night and sit and drink their bottle of Buckfast or cheap wine and dump the bottles but we’ve never witnessed anything like this before.

“The school’s been left in a terrible mess too.”

Staff have notified the police and tidy up effort has already begun.

In a message to thise who caused the damage, Mrs Gears said: “What did you want to gain from doing this?

“It could be your gran or grandad coming here.”