A COMMUNITY organiser says her team are "heartbroken" after a bench funded by local people was smashed to pieces by vandals.

The bench, behind the bus stop in Manchester Road, was left in pieces after someone ripped it out of the ground and smashed it, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

It was put in place along with six others, in September 2017, using funds raised during the 2016 Kearsley Scarecrow Festival.

Tracey Wilkinson, who organised the event, urged anyone with information on the incident to come forward.

She said: “I was told there had been some vandalism but I was shocked when I saw what had happened. It has been completed smashed to smithereens, somebody has been at that for a good long while to do that kind of damage.

"We really need anyone who has seen anything to come forward. Our team are absolutely heartbroken by this. The benches were only put in place last September, we have had some planters kicked over in the past but this is the worst thing that has happened."

The incident is thought to have happened at around 1am on Sunday morning, although the exact details of what occurred are currently unknown.

Fortunately, the owners of Farnworth business P & D Heating and Bathrooms live in the area and have offered to pay for a new bench to be placed in the same spot.

Ms Wilkinson thanked the company and said the bench was clearly being used by people travelling on the buses and shopping.

Kearsley councillor Mark Cunningham called the damaged an act of "absolute mindless vandalism" and said the community should have a "zero-tolerance policy" towards vandals.

Cllr Cunningham said: "The people of Kearsley work hard each year to support the Scarecrow Festival, Kearsley in Bloom and the Poppy Appeal, these events bring the community together and raise money for things which will benefit the community.

"I am very proud of the people of Kearsley who never fail to support us, working with the Churches on the Mount, to provide things for the community. This support has enabled us to provide defibrillators, flower planters, benches, a Christmas tree with lights and selection boxes, among other things, which strengthen the community and bring us together.

"There should be zero tolerance in our community for people who do this sort of thing. The destruction of this bench has been reported to the police who have been asked to examine the CCTV footage in the area."

This year's Kearsley Scarecrow Festival, the fourth edition of the event, will take place on Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd September from 10am, with money raised over the weekend going to similar local projects.

The police have been informed of the incident but anyone with information is asked to call officers on 101, quoting reference number 1070 of 26/08/18.