We've been victims of 'disturbing' vandalism and it's soul destroying- my allotment is my happy place

A ‘disturbing’ vandalism spree between Uppermill and Delph has left neighbours with ‘thousands of pounds worth of damage’. Saddleworth councillors are urging residents to report any damage to private and community property to police. 

Reports of smashed up cars, greenhouses in allotments destroyed and walls toppled at community sites from Monday (April 1), with police due to visit some of the sites on Thursday, according to residents. Yvonne Barker, who works at Newbank garden centre in Dobcross and has an allotment in Delph, both targeted by the unidentified group, described the vandalism as “devastating”. 

She said: “They’ve made a right mess. They destroyed everything they could in the car park here. On the way along the river, they smashed cars on people’s drives, dented bonnets and broke into a chicken pen. 

“But worst is the allotments – only one of my greenhouse windows was smashed, but others weren’t so lucky and found every single pane of glass shattered.” 

The group, who were caught on CCTV outside the garden centre, pushed over a nearby wall and used the loosened stones to pelt the greenhouses. 

“It’s just soul-destroying,” Barker said. “The allotments mean so much to a lot of people here. I lost my son two and a half years ago – and my allotment is my happy place. We can’t let them get away with that amount of damage. It’s not fair to the people that put their heart and soul into these allotments.”

While community clean-up efforts are underway, Barker appealed to fellow residents to hand over their CCTV to the police or local authorities. A much-loved local monument – a hand-crafted wooden tree – also fell victim to the vandals and was destroyed and thrown into the river. The parts have since been retrieved, with the creator Chris Bannatynne currently working to restore the “Delph Tree”.

Saddleworth North councillor Pam Byrne, who was called out to see the damage, said: “I just hope that we find who’s done this and bring them to some sort of retribution. The damage was horrendous. These weren’t just stones that have been thrown at the glass houses – they were boulders. It was very disturbing.” 

“I don’t want the police to view this as individual people making a complaint or as crime numbers but, from Uppermill to Delph, as a total act of wanton vandalism.”

She noted that police are looking into the matter and local councillors are assisting in any way they can. Much of the damage to allotments, which she helped found in 2021, will be covered by insurance held by Saddleworth Parish council, who manage the land.