How Blackpool's South Shore community rallied after picnic bench incinerated

The bench, used by families making the most of much-loved Highfield Park in South Shore, was completely incinerated in the incident last September, leaving behind only scorched earth.

The vandals were believed to have used an accelerant to fuel the flames and also damaged plants and ripped up safety surfaces.

But staff at the nearby Tesco Express store, on Highfield Road, decided to do something about it.

They organised a prize draw and put together a hamper packed with goodies as the prize.

Customers, residents and other local businesses got behind the fundraising campaign and helped raise £750, boosted by a donation of £150 from the supermarket.

See more:

Bench set ablaze, safety surfaces ripped up, and trees damaged by vandals at Highfield Parkhttps://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/crime/bench-set-ablaze-safety-surfaces-ripped-up-and-trees-damaged-by-vandals-at-highfield-park-3390756

Karen Coope, a trustee of the South Shore Community Partnership which runs the nearby Hub community centre and now oversees the Friends of Highfield Park, said: “The Tesco store staff are brilliant supporters of the local community and everyone in the neighbourhood got behind their campaign.

"The park is a cherished community asset used by lots of local people and families, so the success of this campaign shows how much people around here cared.

"We were delighted that enough money was raised for not one picnic bench, but two.”

Natalie East, a customer assistant at the Tesco store, was one of the organisers of the prize draw ad she liaised with the Friends of Highfield Park and Blackpool Council to provide the two replacement benches.