'No money in the pot' to repair vandalism at Jubilee Gardens on Blackpool seafront

The south-western wall of the public gardens at Gynn Square suffered extensive damage at the weekend, with large slabs of bricks left strewn about in hedgerows and on top of flowerbeds.

Michael Higgins, chairman of the Friends of Jubilee Gardens, said: "Extensive damage was done to the south-western perimeter wall, which was only recently built up a few years ago to offer extra protection from the sea winds. No funds in the pot to rebuild, so will just have to stay as it is.

"This is the third section of the western wall to be damaged in the last two years, and at this rate will soon be wall-less."

The Friends group announced that it was winding down back in November due to a decline in donations and volunteers due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Councillor Michele Scott said: "It's just shameful and disappointing and disgusting. There are no words really. The amount of work that the volunteers put into building the wall to try to protect the gardens, and then vandals just come and smash it apart. I don't know what we can do about it.

"The friends group doesn't have the money to repair it. It's just heartbreaking.

"(Coun) Danny and I are both trying to think of ways that we can facilitate that repair, but the problem is it keeps being smashed down again. How many times do we keep repairing it for them just to keep doing it again?

"Nobody ever seems to see them, and even if they do see them and challenge them you just get a mouthful of abuse and aggression."