Vandals wreck Bloom and Grow display

Andrew Marsland (gardener) and Lee Gannon (Bloom and Grow Team Leader) with bags of destroyed plants.

Vandals went on a destructive rampage in Oldham’s Bloom and Grow garden and now the council is in a race against time to repair it before judges arrive in two days.

Oldham Council has CCTV footage of six teenagers uprooting flowers and destroying fixtures on the display in Oldham town centre on Sunday evening.

This took place at 8.20pm but it is not the first time the display has been vandalised since it was unveiled.

There have been a number of reports of teenagers causing damage to the garden.

Judges visit the display on Thursday to grade it for the Britain in Bloom competition.

After all the hard work put in, council gardeners now have to make last-minute repairs to return the display back to the way it was.

Repair work started yesterday and the council said it would not let a few vandals prevent Oldham from having something to be proud of.

Councillor Barbara Brownridge, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and co-operatives, said: “It really is very sad to see such a beautiful floral display ruined because of the actions of a few mindless vandals. A lot of hard work has gone into making our town centre and parks places for residents to be proud of and that look nice.

“We have received wonderful feedback from people about the Bloom and Grow work.

“Britain in Bloom judges arrive in the borough on Thursday and we will not let a handful of people prevent us from making Oldham a better place for residents and visitors.

“Both the display and new play area are CCTV-monitored and we will report any troublemakers to the police.”

Please inform Oldham Council on 0161-770 4067 during office hours or 0161-770 4580 out of hours if anyone spots any culprits.

“We can, and will, beat these anti-social vandals.”