Mindless vandals trash Bretton school playhouse

A PRE-SCHOOL has been left counting the cost of a “mindless” act of vandalism after yobs trashed a playhouse bought in memory of a late chairman.

Callous vandals smashed the doors and windows of the two-storey wooden building at Bretton Community Pre-School, in Watergall, Peterborough, which was built as a memorial to Margaret Crampton who worked there for 30 years.

The vandals also damaged a chicken coop, which was donated to the pre-school following an appeal in the Evening Telegraph, and even cruelly smashed eggs waiting to hatch.

Deputy manager Deb Ritchie described the attack as “mindless vandalism”.

She said: “It’s senseless, they have not stolen anything.”

It is damage the not-for-profit organisation can ill afford and it has issued an appeal to the community for help to repair the damage.

The vandalism carries an additional emotional impact in that it has targeted the memory of a beloved former colleague.

Mrs Crampton, known affectionately as Meg, joined the pre-school in 1975 and stayed with the charity until 2002, when she was forced to retire due to ill health.

She continued however as its chairman, passing away in 2007 at the age of 65, and soon afterwards her family donated £500 to the pre-school to pay for the playhouse.

Her widower, Doug Crampton (68), of Werrington, said the pre-school was “almost a second home” to his wife.

He said: “She put so much effort into that place, she just enjoyed it, she just loved being around the kids.”

Mr Crampton added he thought it was unlikely the vandals knew of the sentimental attachment to the building.

He said: “If I thought for one moment they knew what they were doing I would be stuck for words you would be able to print. The fact is it’s mindless, wanton and unthinking.

“It’s typical of a small group of unparented, unthinking idiots.”

The damage was reported to police in the early hours of Sunday morning.

A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said: “This is a mindless act of vandalism which has left the children without a playhouse and we would urge anyone with information about those responsible to contact police.”