Telford wood hit by vandals since end of school summer holidays
Wooden sculptures and fences have been vandalised in a series of crimes at a wood in Telford.
Volunteers who care for Apley Woods say recent damage caused to a sign donated to them by students from Telford's New College has been "particularly upsetting."
They have called for walkers and people who use the woods to be vigilant and report suspicious incidents to the police.
Julie Burroughs, from the Friends of Apley Woods, said they had seen a particularly quiet summer compared to previous years, but early in the summer a new fox carving had the ears sliced off both the adult and cub figures.
She said it is since the end of the summer holidays that the vandalism has begun.
She said: "The hurdle fencing we had built to protect primroses and vegetation by the dovecote was flattened – presumably stamped on.
"The hurdle fencing we built as part of the Love Your River Telford programme, to prevent bank erosion around the duck pond, was also stamped on and pulled apart, and thrown into the pond.
"The little owl carving in the Yew Avenue was sawn through its base and stolen. It has a broken beak.
"The Owls Are Watching sign, which was carved from wood as part of a design and technology project by a New College student some years ago, and presented to the woods, was vandalised. The lower part of the sign has been ripped out.
"The only vandalism that has been witnessed to our knowledge, was the damage to the fencing round the duck pond on September 17.
"The witness reported to us that it was a group of 11 teenagers, aged around 14 to 16 years, eight male and three female. The girls were sitting on the bench, while the boys were kicking down the fences."
