Glasgow nursery staff has been left ‘heartbroken’ after cruel vandals set fire to an outdoor play area used by babies.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) sped to the nursery in Hamiltonhill, north Glasgow, after the alarm was raised at around 9pm Wednesday.
But it was too late.
By then, the flames had torn through two sturdy sheds full of toys and specialist equipment and a cosy hut for babies at the Hamiltonhill Learning Centre.
The refurbished garden — which included a wall of newly planted planters, potting tables and plating resources — all went up in smoke.
Two polytunnels melted as the flames consumed them, leaving behind charred steel beams and gloopy, holey polyethene.
The nursery head, Frances Stoke, told the Daily Record she’s worried whether the Learning Centre has enough cash to bounce back from the blaze.
‘The fire took hold within our baby room and outdoor garden area where very young babies play,’ she said.
‘We only developed the area over summer and spent a lot of money on it so it’s heart-breaking that this has happened.’
Community payback spent weeks chopping down trees and grass to free up the space for the outdoor area that’s now been battered,’ she said.
‘We live in an area of very high deprivation. A lot of the kids live in high-rise or tenement flats so the outdoor space meant a lot to them,’ Stoke added.
‘We spent a long time trying to get grant funding for these structures, and we raised some of the money ourselves, buying one piece of equipment here, another bit there. It’s just a nightmare.’
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: ‘Around 10.10am on Thursday, 17 November, police were called to a report of damage in Ellesmere Street, Glasgow.
‘Officers will be speaking to the reporter to gather more details.
‘Anyone with information should contact 101 quoting reference number 0843 of 17 November.’
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