Yobs hit garden for third time (From Brentwood Weekly News)

Yobs hit garden for third time

7:30am Friday 17th August 2012 in News

AN idyllic space created for disabled people has been vandalised for the third time in as many months.

Persistent yobs targeted Brentwood’s Sensory Garden, at King George’s Playing Fields, again last week.

The hard work of volunters was wrecked as heads were pulled off plants and flowers, borders were trampled and branches were broken off shrubs at the site, off Hartswood Road.

Similar damage was caused in June and July as vandals went on the rampage.

A Sensory Garden Club has been running in the open space for almost two years and aims to bring the enjoyment of gardening to people with severe disabilities, learning difficulties or sensory impairments.

Joy Dunn, who runs the Sensory Garden Club, said: “I gather there was some sort of party in the park and it spilled over into the garden.

“It was damage to the garden and plants rather than structural damage but it’s frustrating and annoying because a lot of people use the garden and appreciate it and the damage is so unnecessary.

“Unfortunately there’s not a great deal we can do about it because if people want to get in there they will.”

The garden was quickly tidied up after the incident, on August 9, and replanting will be carried out as soon as possible.

Mark Reed, Brentwood councillor responsible for culture and leisure, said: “It’s a terrible shame.

“Things are really coming on down there at the moment and King George’s is really on the up, particularly with the skate park improvements being almost complete.

“It’s such a shame when there’s a lot of hard work being done and it makes you wonder if they have it in for the sensory garden and then you have to question why.

“It’s awful because a lot of effort goes in to things like that.”