Mindless vandals destroy 30 newly-planted trees in Bournemouth park

MINDLESS: One of 30 trees snapped in two after a wrecking spree by vandals MINDLESS: One of 30 trees snapped in two after a wrecking spree by vandals

AROUND 30 newly-planted trees were destroyed when vandals went on a wrecking spree in a Bournemouth park.

Forty young trees were planted in Kings Park a few weeks ago but now three quarters of them have been snapped in two.

The damage was discovered by AFC Bournemouth staff on Thursday. They had bought and planted the trees around the Cherries’ new training pitch as required by their planning permission for the new facility.

RALLYING CALL: Owner Eddie Mitchell

Chief executive Eddie Mitchell said: “It costs us a lot of money and a lot of time trying to make the area more pleasant.

“We are very disappointed, it seems a pointless exercise. I’m sure the majority of our fans, if not all of them, will be disappointed to see that the club’s money is being thrown away or destroyed by people from outside the club.”

The damage has also dismayed park users and Bournemouth council.

Jerry Kelsey, principal landscape and arboricultural officer, said: “The trees in this case were planted as part of the landscaping condition attached to planning consent given to AFC Bournemouth and had not long been in place. It is down to AFC Bournemouth to replace the damaged trees which is an unfortunate direct cost to them.”

Comments(14)

pokesdown1 says...
5:06pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Mr Kelsey seems a nice chap.

rayc says...
5:15pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Can Mr Kelsey say for how long Bournemouth AFC will be responsible for these trees?

Carolyn43 says...
6:36pm Wed 30 Jan 13

What is wrong with the morons that are doing things like this? Gravestones, trees, cars .......
.......
I suppose that's the answer - they are morons.

Tripod says...
7:00pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Just guessing... maybe someone who's upset at not being allowed access to the "Shared" training pitches built on Public Land?

aerolover says...
7:30pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Perhaps the dog walker who didn't want the training ground to be there in the first place. Just a thought not only vandals who cause damage but sneaky undercover of dark nimby's.

ragj195 says...
8:19pm Wed 30 Jan 13

aerolover wrote:
Perhaps the dog walker who didn't want the training ground to be there in the first place. Just a thought not only vandals who cause damage but sneaky undercover of dark nimby's.
Perhaps the houses with a view overlooking the park would prefer they weren't there as the trees either side fo them have been left untouched.

Lord Spring says...
10:15pm Wed 30 Jan 13

aerolover wrote:
Perhaps the dog walker who didn't want the training ground to be there in the first place. Just a thought not only vandals who cause damage but sneaky undercover of dark nimby's.
Dogs love trees think about it.

billd766 says...
1:18am Thu 31 Jan 13

Jerry Kelsey, principal landscape and arboricultural officer, said: “The trees in this case were planted as part of the landscaping condition attached to planning consent given to AFC Bournemouth and had not long been in place. It is down to AFC Bournemouth to replace the damaged trees which is an unfortunate direct cost to them.”

But Mr Kelsey AFC Bournemouth fulfilled that part of the conditions of landscaping in the planning consent.
For just how long are they to be responsible for that. Should there be a 24/7 guard on the site, CCTV, savage guard dogs, what?

Loyal2AFCB says...
5:32am Thu 31 Jan 13

I suspect that this is the handiwork of disgruntled ”local“ residents. I don't see why the club should should incurr the costs of replacing the trees as they are likely to be targeted again. Eddie Mitchell should tell that Kelsey character to get stuffed.

aerolover says...
8:02am Thu 31 Jan 13

Lord Spring wrote:
aerolover wrote:
Perhaps the dog walker who didn't want the training ground to be there in the first place. Just a thought not only vandals who cause damage but sneaky undercover of dark nimby's.
Dogs love trees think about it.
Dogs will pee on anything that sticks up even a broken tree so that argument doesn't work.

Tom 'Boscombe' Jones says...
8:34am Thu 31 Jan 13

Yes the presumption that these vandals are 'mindless' and therefore acting without purpose or intent is unproven and questionable. Still not a surprising headline from the echo.

Hessenford says...
10:20am Thu 31 Jan 13

Carolyn43 wrote:
What is wrong with the morons that are doing things like this? Gravestones, trees, cars .......
.......
I suppose that's the answer - they are morons.
I feel you have answered your own question and I totally agree with you.

Bournesouthmouth Downpokes says...
4:30pm Thu 31 Jan 13

Yet more disgusting behavior by local yobs with no morals. Grow up low lives and learn to love your own community.

uvox44 says...
5:24pm Thu 31 Jan 13

given the number of times this happens why oh why does the council and others plant such small trees that are easily broken without any form of fencing or protection from those who would rather destroy than do anything positive?

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