Vandals have wrecked a Stevenage woodland – with small trees hacked down or pushed over, litter strewn all over the floor and evidence of a fire left behind.
The damage was discovered by a woman, who did not want to be named, walking in woodland at the back of Merrick Close in the Great Ashby area.
She said: “More mindless vandalism and a lack of respect in our local woods. It is destructive behaviour.
“Whoever did it has tried to push the hacked off trunks over the edge of the chalk pit there. There were indentations in the trunks of some of the larger trees too. It looks like someone took an axe, or another tool, with them with the intention of hacking at trees for a bit of fun.”
Great Ashby resident Terry Tyler said: “It’s definitely vandalism and the chances are it’s youths who are responsible. I think we aren’t doing enough for them.
“This is not the first fire there, and it tends to happen at the end of a term or half-term. They leave all their litter there.
“This type of reckless behaviour saddens me – to think some of our youth feel that the best thing they can do at night is to destroy and litter our beautiful woodlands.
“I have been speaking to other residents and we want to talk to the local schools and try to educate and offer advice to pupils, emphasising that this type of behaviour is not acceptable. These beautiful woods are there for them and their future children.”
The land is believed to be privately owned, but it is not known by who.
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