'Mindless' vandals damage fences, benches and bird boxes in attack on Wakefield park

Volunteers at Thornes Park discovered that vandals had targeted the park’s Secret Garden, pulling up benches, pushing over fences and destroying bird boxes.

But Ian Deighton, who runs volunteer group Friends of CHaT Parks, who care for Clarence, Holmfield and Thornes Parks, said his group refused to be beaten by the repeated vandalism.

He said: “It’s completely mindless. Those benches are bolted down and the bird boxes are high up so it’s hard work doing what they’re doing, it’s no accident.

“Our volunteers will persevere and keep the garden nice, but it’s just soul-destroying.

“When there’s people around the park self-polices itself, but it seems to be happening late afternoon when there’s not so many people around."

It comes days after another Wakefield park was damaged in a fire less than a week after reopening following a £80,000 makeover.

Councillor Michael Graham, who has supported both parks in the wake of the attacks, said: “This is absolutely devastating to see and I am so sorry to the volunteers who spend an inordinate amount of time making this garden such a special place to visit.

"I am gutted to report that there has been a huge amount of damage and vandalism to the garden.”

But he praised the hundreds of members of the public who had spoken out in support of the park, offering their time and resources to help repair the damage.

Ian said many residents had been in touch offering to pay visits to the park at different times, in an attempt to discourage any future damage.

He said: "The number of comments that we've had, there's so much goodwill for the secret garden. The people really do value it.

"We don't want it to become a game or a challenge, we just want it to stop happening.

"The more people visit it late afternoon the better.

"We will persevere. Our members are determined they will make it nice."