Thieves ruin pupils' first harvest plans

Thieves have struck at community allotments used by adults with mental health difficulties and school pupils.

Pupils from the Magnus Church of England School, Newark, went to the Eton Avenue allotments, Newark, on Friday to harvest their first crop of vegetables only to discover thieves had broken in the night before.

A lawnmower, camping stove, two sheds and gardening tools were stolen.

Much of the equipment had been donated by local people and businesses.

The sheds were given by DIY firm Focus, on Beacon Hill Road, Newark.

Two others were waiting to be put together.

The thieves carried the shed panels over the site fence and left them while they took away two complete sheds and the other items.

They were disturbed and did not return for the other panels.

A teacher at the Magnus, Miss Sarah Sturgeon, said: “I feel very angry and hurt for the children and for the project.”

She told the children that the people of Newark had helped them before and would do so again.

“We’re so grateful for the ongoing support people have given us,” she said.

Miss Sturgeon said there was now a delay to the pupils’ work at the allotments, which counts towards a GCSE-equivalent qualification.

One pupil, Joe Draghi, 14, said: “I’m heartbroken. We have put a lot of hard work in to the allotments.”

Emma Scott, 14, said: “It is disgusting what they did. They wouldn’t like it if we did it to them. We’re all upset.”

The vice-chairman of the Eton Avenue Growers Association, Mrs Gillie Wilkinson, said the lawnmower and camping stove were stolen from two sheds on the site.

“We are cross and disappointed,” she said.

The allotments, which are run by volunteers, some of whom have experienced mental health problems in the past, received a certificate last week in the East Midlands in Bloom competition.

The allotments were part of the Newark entry that won a bronze award.

Magnus pupils have two plots and have grown courgettes, lettuces, runner beans, strawberries, potatoes and other produce.

They plan to sell the produce in school and have set up their own business group to do so.

The Wycar Leys residential home in Bilsthorpe for people with learning difficulties and other complex needs also has an allotment at the site.

The Magnus School is appealing for people to donate Morrisons Let’s Grow vouchers to the project. Collection boxes are at the school.

They are also asking for help to replace the stolen items.

A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said no arrests had been made.