OFFERS of help and donations have come pouring in for a Bolton nursery hit by vandals.

People have reached out to staff at Grosvenor Nursery School and Day Care Centre after a school garden was ransacked on Tuesday night and play equipment damaged.

One anonymous grandad visited the nursery and left a donation of £20 in an envelope.

Another person from West Yorkshire, known only as ‘Mel’ and who has no links to the nursery, is donating a children’s slide.

During the incident, some time after 8pm, the astroturf in the nursery’s garden was ripped up by vandals.

A fence was also destroyed and play equipment thrown over the fence.

Children were left upset and disappointed by the vandalism, with one child even coming up with a plan to catch the ‘baddies’.

Sue Pounds, headteacher at the nursery, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response, we are so grateful.

“We have even had one person, known only as ‘Mel’, from Otley near Leeds, who is arranging the delivery of a brand new children’s slide.

“They said that if we can’t use it we can raffle it off to raise money.

“It’s just nice to know that there are so many people out there wanting to help.

“This elderly gentlemen came down the drive and pushed en envelope through the gate, handing it to a member of staff. She asked him for his name but he refused to tell us.

“He wasn’t even one of our grandads. He said, ‘I want you to have this, I am a grandad myself, I want you to have this for the children.’

“It is so sweet, it really is.”

The nursery has also been contacted by local businesses offering to help relay the astroturf, although this will be sorted by an insurance company.

Ms Pounds said: “We’ve had so many offers of help to put the garden back together. People are very generous, it’s unbelievable.

“Everybody’s struggling at the moment, yet they are willing to give up their time and if they can help financially they are doing that.

“The community spirit has really come through.”

On a post shared on the nursery’s Facebook page Ms Pounds wrote: “Thank you everyone, from all the children, parents and staff here at Grosvenor.”