Vandals have destroyed part of a community garden in Dundee, uprooting hundreds of plants.
A 4ft tub full of compost was emptied out at the Ardler Complex and an estimated 300 plants were uprooted on Wednesday night.
A witness reported seeing two or three youths who were responsible, who then left the area around 9.30pm on a bus.
Graham Cross, chairman of the Ardler Environment Group, which looks after the planters, said almost two decades of work at the Dundee site had been ruined.
Graham said: “There were two or three youths seen in the area – one had an orange puffer jacket on, but they might have been part of a bigger group.
“We have street tubs full of earth and compost. The things are about 4ft square and 2ft deep. One has been emptied out completely, the whole garden is covered in earth.”
He added: “There is mess from the Ardler Complex right along to the road near Ardler Primary School, mud all over that area.
“It’s almost 20 years of work and it’s ruined. We started here in 2002, so 19 years, and in however many minutes these kids have wrecked it.”
The Ardler Environment Group started in 2002, planting vegetables and places around the building of the refurbishment of Ardler. Since 2005, the group has maintained the three gardens in front of the Ardler Complex.
The group also tends a raised bed in the community garden where everything grown is edible and is for personal use and sharing within the community.
Graham said: “I’ve had the community police officer up speaking to me.
“There’s a CCTV camera but it doesn’t work, I was told.
The kids must know that so they’ve just wrecked the garden.
“But they were seen getting on the bus, so we hope there is CCTV on there that can identify them. We were told they opened something at the back and stopped the engine when they got on, so hopefully, that’s been recorded.
“We have awards here – plaques, vases, all sorts – from Keep Scotland Beautiful, for the work we’ve done. This won’t be swept under the carpet.
“There’s about 300 plants in here have been pulled out. There’s only about four bulbs left in the whole garden.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said they have no record of the vandalism report.
