Allotments are ruined by yobs in wrecking spree

8:20pm Tuesday 28th August 2012 in News

POLICE were today trying to track down a gang of yobs who went on a wrecking spree at an allotment.

The hooligans broke into Irvine Road allotments, in Colchester, in the early hours of Saturday morning, setting fire to up to four sheds and vandalising about 30 others.

Pascale Wells, site steward at the allotments, in Prettygate, said: “This is mindless vandalism at its worst.

“It looks as though they got in, vandalised about 30 plots, and set fire to the sheds as they left.”

There are 98 plots on the site, so one in three has been affected. The owner of the burnt-out sheds is believed to be on holiday.

Pascale added: “I think they just wanted to make a mess. Nothing was taken, no fruit or vegetables are gone as far as we know.”

She is now urging people living in Irvine Road and in Norman Way to be extra vigilant.

But Pascale added: “It is hard to know how much more secure we can make the site and I think the bottom line is, if people want to get in, they are going to get in.”

Sue Lissimore, borough councillor for Prettygate and an allotment plot holder, said: “I have had one for eight years and this is the first bit of vandalism that I have been aware of.

“I think it is important that once this has happened, it never happens again. That starts with everyone looking out for one another.

“If you do see anything suspicious, call the police on 101. It is better to be safe than sorry.”

A spokeswoman for Essex Country Fire and Rescue said two crews from Colchester were called to the blaze shortly after 2.30am on Saturday.

They managed to put it out in about 30 minutes.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: “The incident is being treated as a criminal offence and we urge anyone with information to come forward and help us find those responsible.”

Anyone with information should contact Colchester police station on 101.

Comments(6)

Feisty CBC says...
10:21pm Tue 28 Aug 12

I've always found it strange how these plots are carved up. Instead of everyone growing the same thing in their plot, why can't they put down rows to utilise the land? They could have it staked out so everyone gets their own patch.

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Cllr. Sue L says...
10:29pm Tue 28 Aug 12

They are worked out from Victorian measurements of the amount of space needed for a family of four to be self sufficient. A full plot is about 220 sq yards if I remember right but the Council now only give new rents for half plots.

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Feisty CBC says...
11:50pm Tue 28 Aug 12

That's interesting Sue as 220 yds = 1 furlong. Having said that I'm sure the plots are much smaller, certainly the ones down by Eastgates are.

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rhetoric says...
6:23am Wed 29 Aug 12

One owner, three sheds? That is how it reads. Is this just bad reporting or writing?
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Presumably there is a long waiting list for allotments as elsewhere. Why would one person own three sheds? That must equal a small plot of land that could be cultivated, even if the sheds are not large. Does it imply that one person owns three plots that each need a storage space?
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As to the vandals, it is a sign of general boredom and mindlessness in this current climate that such destruction takes place. If people were starving (and before you all start to shout about it, I am sure some are) it would be understandable if they were driven to take "a penn'orth of pot herbs" from someone's plot, but this is just destruction for - what? A thrill?
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Parents, you should take more responsibility for the young who live under your roof. It IS your business what they do when out and about. Who else is going to monitor them in any way? Not saying you should try to be repressive, you can't punish them physically or the Law will get you, but in some way or another you should keep tabs and ask questions.
If they're under your roof they are presumably dependent if only for their lodgings, you have the right to know how they conduct themselves from your address, and I bet the parents of the above miscreants have a very good idea of what is going on.

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Im_Like_HELLO says...
3:53pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Said yobs are probably children who when asked where milk comes from they say "the supermarket" - no awareness or care about where food comes from, and the hard work put in by people growing their own produce.

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romantic says...
5:18pm Thu 30 Aug 12

Unfortunately, there is not any deep reasoning behind most vandalism. Boredom perhaps. Because it´s a laugh, at the time. The people who did this see the allotments as something owned by people who are not part of their world. They don´t see that this is part of somebody´s life, it is just something that "boring old people" do.

It´s not starvation: if it was, they´d take the produce. It´s not even poverty really, I´m sure you´d find these are kids from nice respectable houses, rooms packed with games consoles etc

Of course, if somebody were to do the same to their nan´s garden, they´d be fuming and no doubt out to "get" the people who did it.

So got to agree with rhetoric on this: there is a responsibility on the parents to know where their kids are. Assuming these are kids living at home, perhaps they are older, who knows.

It´s really saddening when this kind of stuff happens, because it is so pointless to ruin somebody else´s hard work just for fun.

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