Yobs target park trees again

Yobs who targeted a memorial park's tree which was planted in honour of war heroes have been slammed by an angry parks group.
Les Fletcher, chairman of the Friends of the Memorial Park in Fleetwood, shows the empty spot where a damaged bench had to be removedLes Fletcher, chairman of the Friends of the Memorial Park in Fleetwood, shows the empty spot where a damaged bench had to be removed
Les Fletcher, chairman of the Friends of the Memorial Park in Fleetwood, shows the empty spot where a damaged bench had to be removed

The destruction of a young sapling, which was snapped in two, comes after five of the memorial trees were targeted by vandals at Fleetwood Memorial Park last summer.

This time the vandals also caused damage to a concrete block where a bench was installed, forcing it to be removed by council staff.

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The Friends of the Memorial Park says the culprits are undermining all the recent work being carried out in the park, which has been the subject of £2.4 restoration project.

The group say the latest episode, which occurred on Wednesday night, follows a string of incidents, including vandalism to walls, the theft of flowers and the attacks on the trees.

Les Fletcher, chairman of the Friends, said: “We have had £2.4m spent on the park, and then we have this sort of thing. I cannot understand why these people do this kind of thing when the park is there for everyone’s benefit.

“The damage may not have been massive this time, but the bench has had to be removed and repaired and we have had to replace the tree.

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“It is very frustrating when so much time, effort and money has been spent improving the park.”

Coun Ruth Duffy, who represents Mount ward on the council, said: “It’s always a minority who ruin it for the others.The Friends of the memorial park are working so hard to raise extra funds to improve the park, and then this kind of thing happens.”

Fleetwood police said after the latest incident: “We’ve had a recent report of criminal damage on Memorial Park, Fleetwood, where an offender targeted a new bench and snapped a tree. The Memorial Park has recently had major improvements. This behaviour is unacceptable.”

If anyone has any information you can call police on 101 and quote crime number WD1600778.

Park on the up after £2.4m restoration

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The Memorial Park in Fleetwood is on the up after an extensive re-generation.

The £2.4m improvement project at the park,kick-started after a successful bid by Wyre Council for Heritage and Big Lottery Funds,includes restoration of the war memorial, entrances, pond,pathways and pavilion and a greater range of sports and play facilities.

Wyre Council has also introduced a range of activities in the park to draw people to it and ensure it is well used by families.

The centenary of the First World War has also focused attention on the park’s statu as one of a hand-ful of greenspaces in the country specifically designed as a tribute to those lost in the Great War.

And the work has led to further accolades.

Last year the park also won Green Flag award in recognition of quality maintenance and facilities, the first time it has ever achieved this.