GREEN-FINGERED residents have been left heartbroken after a gang of terrorising vandals wreaked havoc on an allotment site, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
The Rowhedge Allotments, located in Fingringhoe Road, Colchester, were targeted for the second time in ten days on Monday night by a group of hoodlums.
The following morning plot owners were confronted with upturned sheds, smashed greenhouses, broken fences and gates and shattered panes of glass.
The mindless attack also saw sheds go up in flames after being set fire to, something which vandals also revelled in doing during their first rampage earlier this month.
On both occasions firefighters have had to rush to the scene in order to prevent the infernos from spreading and causing further damage.
A spokesman for the Essex Fire Service, which sent two Colchester crews on Monday, said: “A shed, measuring approximately six-metres-square, on an allotment, was alight.
“The fire by 9.05pm and the cause could not be determined.”
Although not every plot at Rowhedge Allotments was damaged during the two ambushes, the mood of the entire village gardening community has been impacted.
A spokesman for Rowhedge Allotments said: “The damage was the most severe we have ever experienced.
"Such was the extent of damage some plot holders were in tears and extremely traumatised - some are unlikely to return after surveying the damage which jeopardises the future of the site
"We have all worked so hard to improve the community allotment site over recent years and this is major setback we may struggle to recover from.
"Over the last few years this has really supported some of the local community with social and mental health issues during the pandemic.
"If anyone has any information please contact Colchester police as the culprits really do need to be identified as soon as possible."
Determined not to be bullied by the young thugs responsible for the allotment carnage, the gardeners have now set out to track them down.
One of plot owner is even now offering a cash reward to anyone who may have any information about those responsible for the vandalism.
Adam Fox, Colchester councillor for Old Heath and The Hythe, and parish councillor for East Donyland, said he was shocked by the destruction caused in the village.
“It is really devastating for those people that spend so much time putting effort into an allotment and it is just mindless vandalism,” he added.
“These people do not care about their neighbours and they obviously need to be caught, but we also need to make sure young people have better things to do.
“It is also concerning when firefighters have to be called out to things like this, because it means they are potentially being called away from what a more serious incident.
“If these vandals didn’t do these sorts of things, we would not have to waste the fire service’s resources.”
Essex Police are now appealing for information.
A spokesman said: "We were notified of a fire at Rowhedge Allotments, Fingringhoe Road, Colchester, at around 8.30pm on Monday 21 March.
"Fire brigade colleagues attended and extinguished the fire.
"It was reported that the fire, believed to have been started deliberately, caused damage to a shed.
"Anyone who saw anything should call 101 quoting 42/72427/22."
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