School saddened after playground vandalised

Staff at a primary school in Shropshire said they are disappointed and saddened after part of their playground was vandalised.

Bomere Heath Church of England Primary School in Shrewsbury estimates the cost of the damage, as well as stolen toys and equipment, to be around £1,500.

West Mercia Police has confirmed that it has received a report of theft and criminal damage and that inquiries are ongoing.

Head of the school, Sallie Roberts, told BBC Radio Shropshire that the damage had been sustained to the key stage one outdoor area, which is not attached to the rest of the school.

"[We] basically came in on Tuesday and had a bit of a scene of devastation, it's just been ransacked," she said.

"The little children's bikes, balance bikes, trikes, things like that, we've got a lot that are missing.

"Some of them have been thrown over fences and damaged. There's so much stuff in the trees.

"Everything's been thrown upwards so there's hoops hanging from branches, tiles, all sorts of things."

Roberts added that a "beautiful wooden welly rack" handmade by the father of one of the teachers had been trashed.

A gate that has been smashed will also need to be replaced and refitted.

Waterproof trousers and coats for the school are also missing.

Roberts said one of the reception teachers had been decorating the area for most of the summer.

"It's just heartbreaking that all of her hard work is destroyed", she said.

The cost of replacing the items will be "very expensive", Roberts added, as "it has to be school-approved suppliers, so that generally gets a couple of zeros added on."

A fundraising page set up by the school to help restore the playground area has reached more than £600 so far.

"The community have been amazing. We've had so much support online," Roberts said.

"We are a typical small, rural village school. We are struggling like every other school in the country.

"Every penny is accounted for, so extra things like this we do rely on donations and the support of the [Parent, Teacher, and Friends Association] and goodwilled citizens."

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