Vandals strike at popular Burnley park's community garden project

Volunteers, who have devoted hours of their time to create a garden project in a popular Burnley community park, were left crushed after vandals trashed their efforts.
By Susan Plunkett
Published 23rd Apr 2019, 12:52 BST
Updated 23rd Apr 2019, 12:59 BST
Vandals have struck at Burnley's Ightenhill Park, slashing panels in a polytunnel erected to protect raised beds.Vandals have struck at Burnley's Ightenhill Park, slashing panels in a polytunnel erected to protect raised beds.
Vandals have struck at Burnley's Ightenhill Park, slashing panels in a polytunnel erected to protect raised beds.

A polytunnel, that had been erected in Ightenhill Park,was damaged over the half term Easter holiday.

Vandals managed to get to the tunnel, that was protected by a fence, by climbing onto a wheelie bin. It appears they have then slashed all the panels with a stick.

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The project is the brainchild of the Friends of Ightenhill Park group who wanted to create a community garden for the public to grow plants and flowers.

The damaged polytunnel in Ightenhill Park, Burnley.The damaged polytunnel in Ightenhill Park, Burnley.
The damaged polytunnel in Ightenhill Park, Burnley.

Funding of around £2,000 for the polytunnel came from the Tesco Bags of Help scheme and this was erected around a series of raised flowerbeds to protect them from the elements.

Volunteer Suzanne Smith said: "This is a project that aims to benefit the whole community so this senseless vandalism is upsetting for those who have put their time and effort into trying to get it off the ground.

"We are still working on the project but the aim of it is to give people the chance to grow plants, flowers and vegetables for themselves and the community.

"We are also hoping to create disabled access at the site."

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Suzanne is due to meet this week with a security firm to look at ways of making the area more secure.

The Friends group has set up a gofundme page to help raise funds towards the repair works which has already raised £65 and Ighten Leigh Social Club has made a generous donation of £500 to the scheme as it the club's chosen charity for the year.

There is also a collection bucket at Emma's News in Padiham Road for those who wish to make a donation.

A proactive organisation, the Friends group also has a series of beehives in the park and several volunteers have been trained to become bee keepers.

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And on Saturday, May 18th a Buzzin' Bee Day will be held in Ightenhill Park on Saturday marking International Bee Day.

Visitors will be given the opportunity to see two bee colonies safely living in unique bee cages all thanks to the efforts of the Friends group which has also established Simply Bees as another voluntary organisation.

If you would like to make a donation to the cause search polytunnel repair under the gofundme banner.