9:35am Friday 21st November 2008
PRIMARY school children in Leominster are making a heart-felt plea to a group of teenagers to stop vandalising their school.
Youths regularly gather at Leominster Infant School, leaving behind a trail of destruction as well as broken beer bottles and cigarette ends.
Pupils are now unable to use their outdoor playhouse after wooden panels were smashed and fires were lit inside, leaving the floor unsafe.
Within days, the inside of a new storage shed was covered in graffiti while gazebos, picnic benches and bird feeders have all been broken.
Headteacher Meta Philpotts said the problems had been ongoing for years but had worsened in the past six months.
“We are working hard to make the school site a happy and safe environment for the children in school, but there is a regular group of unruly teenagers who come on site in the evenings, drinking lager and leaving damage to property and dangerous litter behind them,” she said.
“For a long time we kept it from the children and just got the repairs done, because they can get quite frightened.
“We are therefore asking parents to think about where their teenagers are and what they’re up to.
“Please, know where your child is and, if they are out and about, ask them to behave in a proper manner and not leave mayhem and destruction behind them.”
Speaking on Monday, she added: “This morning we came in to find a load of broken Stella bottles, and left it for the parents to see. We recognise it is a danger to children and put cones out but we wanted to show the parents what is happening.”
Mrs Philpotts said under-age drinking was a concern for any community and that the school was hoping to work with the Minster College to talk to teenagers.
Insp Pete Wilson, police commander for north Herefordshire, said police were aware of the problems, which were exacerbated by the school grounds not being fenced off.
“There may also be an element of displacement, caused by successful police activities to reduce anti-social behaviour in other areas of the town,” he said.
“To combat this, we have already stepped up police patrols to the school premises at those times where it is known that youths congregate.”
He said two similarly-affected areas of Leominster were also being targeted, and urged neighbours of the school to call the police when youths were on the site.
Anyone with information about the damage can call PC Tracy Lewis on 0300 333 3000.
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