Schoolchildren have been left without a valuable facility thanks to yobs.
And the mindless damage to a school’s outdoor learning area has been condemned by the headteacher as ‘sickening’ after it was discovered this morning.
Vandals wreaked havoc on the wooden shelter at Crow Lane Primary School in Milnsbridge during the half-term break.
They burned holes in the floor structure and smashed wooden panels to the frame.
The shelter was used for outdoor lessons for the school’s 240 youngsters.
The damage was discovered this morning as pupils and staff returned after the half term break.
Headteacher Wendy Wallace, said: “It is sickening that someone has purposely set out to destroy the facilities we have created for our children.
“It is an area they enjoy using very much and the learning that takes place outdoors is engaging and exciting.
“To take that away from them, for the sake of a few minutes of mindless destruction, is upsetting.”
The shelter, which is the hub of their outdoor learning area, has been left partly dismantled and a fire has destroyed some of the structure.
And Mrs Wallace has now been forced to cancel planned activities for the coming weeks due to the area being unsafe.
The school also fears the cost of repairing the damage, which is as yet known, is expected to be significant, and will see funds pulled from other areas of the school’s budget.
She added: “We will do our best to repair the shelter as soon as we can, but our school budget is very tight this year and it will mean taking the money from other projects”.
Police have been informed of the damage and are investigating. Anyone with information should contact police on 101.
In unrelated investigations, police would like to speak to the people pictured in the image gallery below. The people pictured in the images may be witnesses as well as suspects. If you recognise anyone, contact police on 101 quoting the reference number on the image caption.
