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Attack on nativity scene condemned
Reporter: KEN BENNETT
Date online: 16 December 2009
Damage to restored crib is ‘disgraceful’
CALLOUS vandals who damaged a beautifully-restored nativity crib in Oldham town centre have been slammed for ruining the spirit of Christmas.
Seventy children, aged from three to five, from Hey with Zion Primary School, Lees, spent five painstaking days preparing the colourful backdrop for the crib which has been installed outside the Up Steps pub on High Street.
But special flexi-glass on the front of the crib, which houses new model figures and animals, has been daubed in a random attack.
Sara Machin, the school’s foundation stage co-ordinator, said:”It is so sad and disappointing this should happen.
“The children took real pleasure preparing the backdrop. It was their way of gifting something back to the town.
“Many of them have made a special trip taking their parents, relatives and friends just to see the crib. They are really proud of their work.”
Mary Bradford, a mother-of-four said: “It’s disgraceful the crib should be damaged by thoughtlessness. The children obviously put so much hard work into doing the backdrop. It is a lovely gesture at this time of the year.”
For the last few years the crib has been criticised by the town’s business community because it has become scruffy and many of the figures were scuffed, chipped or damaged.
But this year the council splashed out more than £2,000 for a new set of replacement figurines, painting the display case and installing the flexi-glass.
Councillor Jackie Stanton, deputy council leader, said: “Our Street Lighting team is responsible for the crib and they also asked a local school — Hey with Zion — to create a new backdrop for it.
“Sadly, someone has decided to daub and smear something on the front of the glass. We are now getting this removed and cleaned up.”
Comments
It's doubtful if the culprits will be found and dealt with. I don't know if CCTV evidence is available, but sometimes the use of that appears selective. Appalling that a symbol of the real meaning of Christmas should be targeted in this way! In this season of 'goodwill' let's just put it down as another triumph from secular Britain and the fruits of 'education, education, education'. But, it really is pleasing that the council did respond to past criticism of it's shabby appearance.
Teachers moaning about poor behaviour? It's mostly their fault! after all by removing the cane they taught children that their actions have no consequence. Bring back the cane and bring back some self discipline, bring back the birch and bring back respect.
There are plenty of cameras in Oldham surely these vandals must be on one of them!
its a disgrace that some thoughtless scum has done this sort of damage.
but i am sort of wondering where on earth ombc get their prices from? £2000 for a set of figurines & renovations? what on earth is the display made of? actual gold, frankinsence and myr?
what on earth is our council doing wasting money like this?
why didnt they hold a competition round all the schools to make the best figurines? get the local kids involved!
oldham has great cctv cameras,the only problem is,they dont get monitored?
i hope these scumbags get a present they deserve from santa
To - 'fedupoldhamer'
If our council cannot spend £2000 on a crib at Christmas - then we might as well all pack up and leave.
I cannot believe, after reading the article, you resort to mentioning the cost.
Scrooge had nothing on you
To fedupoldhamer
Why don't you vent your frustrations at the lowlifes that did the damage. And maybe commend the local government for getting on this immediately.
Merry Christmas .
well Mrs C when week in week out our council do nothing but go on about the mounting debt they have. the fact they have no money, they're cutting back services they provide and then up and comming hike in the council tax.
every time they waste money like this i'll moan. because its getting to be a joke the way sykes and his cronies are messing things even more than the old labour run council did.
oh and to top it off! who thinks £2000 on this is value for money?
like i said! it'd have been better if the council had held a competition between the primary schools to create the figurines. thus stopping the council just wasting money like this, its developing the kids craft skills. and its more cheery than these dreadful looking things we currently have.
so whats scrooge like about that then? im cheerier than most!
hmmm? i suppose you thought the money wasted for rememberance day lighting up ivory towers was a good idea too! i cant remember the exact figure but it amounted to thousands of pounds per day for only 5 days.
when i could have been better spent giving it directly to the poppy appeal.
wasteful spending like this is the reason we're in a reccession!
i cannot believe we live in a society filled with yobs and people that do not care about xmas
what has happened is a disgrace
those that have doneit should be ashamed of themselves anxd something needs to be done to make it safe
so something likes this does not happen again
Flake, you've got it in one! No good all the moaning by do-gooders. They've got us into this mess. Time for someone, somewhere to stand up and be counted. One man did about 100 years or so ago, Winston Churchill was his name, and how we need another one to come along now!
Sited outside a public house? Perhaps that was asking for trouble. Many viewers will see the real Oldham on a various programmes - Cops with cameras/street wars, and others similar to those. Why was this particular act of vandalism described as random?
owdumlad, who? the local government who are whinging and moaning they have no money?
the same local government who are harping on about getting more people claiming benefits.
these are the the same local government who'll be hiking up your council tax to pay for their idiotic spending spree's like this!
you might as well hand your wallets, purses and bank account details to sykes right now and save the trouble.
To fedupoldhamer
When it comes to the council I have exactly the same thoughts as you -probably more so
However, do you honestly believe that if the money was not spent on the crib this bunch of incompetent hypocrites would spend it on something useful/worthwhile?
Think of all the money -our money -they have wasted.
Charlie Parker would probably spend it on a new leather chair.
mrs c, the only problem is that a little over spend here and there soon mounts up.
this like many other wasteful ideas around here are adding up.
and i am trying to criticise them before we get landed with an almight large council tax increase! somebodys got to do it!
Have Your Say
Is this area not covered by CCTV these people???? need catching.
By Concerned parent @ 16/12/2009 13:49:42