FIVEWAYS Residents' Association in Rock Ferry has hit out at the vandals who have ruined work on a new community garden and path.

The work, which is being carried out in partnership with Groundwork, Wirral Council and Riverside Housing Association, has seen 30 unemployed young people given training and employment.

Residents were involved in the planning and design of the scheme at an open day last October.

Trainees laid a path on Friday, but when they returned to work on Monday the setts and flags had been stolen. In a previous incident the security fencing was damaged beyond repair by local youths, said Caeryn Riley, secretary of the residents' association

"So many people have donated time and effort to improving the community for everyone's benefit. It is very unfair for one or two individuals to ruin things for the rest of the residents."

Dan Ellis of Groundwork agrees: "The trainees are very demoralised at having to repeat work over and over because someone sees fit to be destructive. They were looking forward to the completion of this project in the near future, facilitating the hand-over of the community garden to the local residents. Now they will have to put twice as much effort into getting there."

Security on the site is to be stepped up following the thefts and damage. Anyone found causing wilful damage to the works will be reported to the police, say association members.

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