Tree saplings damaged at traveller camp
TREE saplings planted for the Queen’s platinum jubilee in Hayling Island have been ‘trampled’ and damaged by travellers.
Volunteers spent hours planting the seeds at Mengham Park last year, but it is estimated that at least 30 of them have been driven over yesterday.
Richard Coates, 77, who planted them alongside a ‘very large group of people’, said a lot of repair work needs to be done.
He told The News: ‘Apparently the travellers moved in last night, and I went down to get photographs of what happened before it was disturbed.
‘It’s going to have to be a big replanting session.
‘The danger was always that this would happen, and exactly what we thought would happen did.
‘They just trampled and drove all over them.’
It is the not the first time the saplings have been harmed, with ‘mindless vandals’ damaging some saplings 400 last year.
Plants were provided by the Woodland Trust, and planted by Heart of Hayling Boxing Academy and Hayling Tree Wardens, last year.
Mr Coates added the section which borders a footpath, and near a children’s playground, were destroyed by the travellers as they mowed over them.
Supporting canes and see through plastic cones have also been ‘smashed’.
He said: ‘That whole one side is probably going to have to be redone when the travellers have gone.
‘I wasn’t that surprised, because I know what sort of damage travellers do when they come onto sites like this.
Mr Coates wants concrete blocks placed on the park to prevent travellers from settling there.
The 77-year-old said he saw the remnants of a fire in the park, and beer cans strewn across the field.
He added: ‘It’s disappointing, but we’ll press on and replant as often as we have to.’
Leader of Havant Borough Council, Cllr Alex Rennie, was furious when he heard news.
In an email to Mr Coates he wrote: ‘This is absolutely disgusting.
‘In addition to the defensive work, I will be writing to the Chief Constable to ask that the police use the full range of powers to tackle illegal encampments. We cannot let these people get away with criminal damage.’