Barbara in despair over yob attacks

Barbara Booth in her garden which was attacked twice by vandals

A TERRIFIED great-grandmother said anti-social behaviour in Westwood is making her life a misery.

Barbara Booth (77), from Bankside Close, has seen her front garden attacked by yobs twice in two days.

She also believed the same people were responsible for a string of car and wheelie bin fires in surrounding streets.

Fire crews from Oldham were called to Vale Drive, Westwood, at 3.17am on July 1 to tackle a blaze involving a wheelie bin and two vehicles, a Honda car and a Peugeot car.

While at the scene, crews were called to a recycling bin fire in Bankside Close and then to Richmond Walk soon after.

Mrs Booth, who has six great-grandchildren, said: “All my tubs and flowers were pulled out and stepped on in the early hours of that morning.

“They were beautiful, I take pride in my garden and always enter the First Choice Homes garden competition.

“I replaced them and tidied it up but when I came downstairs on Friday morning they had been wrecked again.

“Soil was all over the place, my tubs had been broken. I just don’t know what’s going on.

“Two cars were set on fire on the Wednesday morning in Vale Drive and I definitely think its the same people.

“I’ve been here 33 years from when the houses were new, but it’s terrible now.

“A community support officer came to visit me on the Thursday and told me he thought my garden was a one-off incident. I obviously don’t believe him now.

“I told him we could do with seeing more of them coming round, but they said they can’t be round all the time.

“Someone has got to do something, my nerves are terrible and I just can’t stand it.”

Fire fighters have warned residents to store their wheelie bins and recycling bins securely, and only put them out on collection day.

Inspector Alan Humphries said: “I understand why Mrs Booth is worried and all these incidents are being investigated by police.

“We have visited her and she has received reassurance visits from the PCSOs who will continue patrolling the area.

“There hasn’t been any further incidents.”