Allotments wrecked (From Stroud News and Journal)

Allotments wrecked

VANDALS are running riot through a popular allotment site in the Five Valleys.

Several precious patches of land which hold pride of place in village life have been left destroyed over the past few months.

The Brownshill Allotments have been specifically targeted where vandals have left behind a trail of burned vegetables, stolen scarecrows, flattened plants and cloches and on occasion they have flooded the allotments reducing all the holders' hard toil to nothing.

"Anything that can be damaged has been damaged," said Beth Jenkins whose specially-made owl scarecrow was stolen. "We don't know who it is but it is very dispiriting.

"One allotment holder was around late at night and saw kids running off but it was dark and he could not get any description.

"He did not see them doing anything and we don't want to accuse if we don't know who it is.

"Normally the biggest vandals we have are badgers and pigeons."

A footpath runs through the middle of the Brownshill allotments and children and adults alike enjoy seeing what the keen gardeners are up to.

All the allotment holders expend a great deal of time and effort and are fed up with the damage being caused, which appears to be linked to cars being vandalised and a rock thrown through a nearby studio window.

The problem has become worse since Easter and most of the damage happens on Saturday nights. police are keen to track down the culprits.

"There was a scarecrow which was there for years and one day it was ripped down," said Deborah Bane, who cultivates a plot which has also been targeted. "Then a couple of nights afterwards it was set fire to and burned.

"I think it is extremely sad that this is happening."

Anyone who may know who the culprits are should call Stroud police on 0845 090 1234 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.