Children ‘heartbroken’ as nursery used as toilet by drunken vandals

Disgusting vandals urinated in a nursery sandpit and defecated in the playground of a Glenrothes school.

Southwood Primar y School in the t o w n’s Marchmont Crescent has been targeted over the past couple of months in what the head teacher described as a “relentless” campaign of vandalism.

Human excrement has even been found next to play equipment in the nursery area.

Head teacher Victoria Cobbett said: “It’s been almost on a daily basis. It’s just relentless.

“We’ve had someone defecate on the ground, smashed alcohol bottles, you name it.

“The children are heartbroken, when they come in and see their garden like that.”

Ms Cobbet said there had been evidence of young people drinking on the school premises and someone had taken the lid

off the tots’ sandpit and urinated in it.

Human faeces were also found in a shed where outdoor play equipment is stored.

Meanwhile, fires had been started, which damaged the soft playing surface in the nursery garden.

A window at the school was also smashed recently.

The nursery garden had been refurbished during lockdown to provide children in the area, many of whom live in poverty, with vital outdoor play facilities.

“We had quite extensive work done to the nursery prior to lockdown,” said Ms Cobbett.

“We got a beautiful new garden and nursery area but it has been targeted repeatedly.

“Play equipment has been trashed and a window was broken.”

Va n d a l s have been targeting the whole school, but the nursery has been worst affected.

Ms Cobbett added: “The cost just goes back to the local authority. This has an impact on everybody, all taxpayers.”

A spokesperson for Po lice Scotland said: “Anyone with information that may assist our inquiry can contact Glenrothes Police Office through 101 quoting reference number 0466 of November 9.”

Smashed equipment.