“They don’t realise what stress it’s causing people” - Plot holders fed up with vandalism at Brighouse allotments

Diana Rice, Ian Webster and Liz Webster, at Waterloo Road Allotments, Brighouse, with buckets of broken glass after vandals have smashed windows of their greenhouses

They say glass has been repeatedly smashed and flowers, fruit and vegetables uprooted and left strewn about.

Diana Rice, committee member and joint plot owner, said: “It’s been happening over the last three weeks that the glass in our greenhouse has been getting smashed.

“It was just our plot but then it started elsewhere. My husband built some chicken wire on pots in-front of the greenhouse so it made it difficult for them to throw fruit at the greenhouse.

“Then they moved onto another plot and smashed the roof.

“Another plot had the fruit trees stripped and their plants pulled out and strewn all over Waterloo Road.

“It’s young people who are doing it, they’ve been chased off the allotment.

“They just think it’s a bit of fun but they don’t realise what stress it’s causing people.

“We’ve got elderly, people with mental health issues, disabled, they come to the allotment to chill out.”

The allotment has been there for more than 30 years and currently has more than 40 plot holders.

“We can’t afford to keep replacing this glass because we’re on a low income, which is why we’ve got the allotment, to grow vegetables and fruit,” Diana added.

“One of our chickens has died with stress, because if all the smashing and clattering, it’s killed one of the chickens.

“It’s upsetting us all.

“We’ve put some night vision cameras up and a lock on the gate.

“Other than that we can’t really do much else.”

In a statement, West Yorkshire Police said: “Officers from the Valley NPT are investigating reports of criminal damage at this location and anyone with information which may assist is asked to contact them either by calling 101 or via the West Yorkshire Police website.”

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