CHILDREN and staff at an Ipswich school have today been left angry after an orchard they painstakingly planted was ruthlessly destroyed by vandals.

CHILDREN and staff at an Ipswich school have today been left angry after an orchard they painstakingly planted was ruthlessly destroyed by vandals.

The 12 apple and pear trees were planted during a community day last February at Castle Hill Junior School, in Dryden Road.

However, vandals have wrecked the hard work, with several of the trees uprooted and destroyed.

One of the trees was planted in memory of a member of staff who died of cancer last year.

Headteacher, Ruth Hart, said: “We came back to discover that five of the trees had been completely destroyed and stamped on.

“They were only fairly small trees but the trunks at ground level have been snapped off and the stacks had been deliberately broken.

“All the remaining trees had also been kicked so they now stand at an angle.”

Mrs Hart said that the whole school community were furious at the vandalism, particularly the children and parents involved in the planting day back in February.

She said: “It was just such a shock because it was such a lovely day in February when parents and children came and planted the trees so to find them destroyed was very upsetting.

“All the staff here are very upset about what has happened because one of the trees was planted in memory of a member of staff who died last year.”

The idea of the orchard was to provide shade for the children in the summer months and to develop an understanding of where food comes from.

Mrs Hart said the destroyed and damaged trees will be replaced before the second phase of planting next February.

Has your community been affected by an act of vandalism? What do you think?

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