Longsight Park in Bradshaw targeted by vandals and off-road bikers

Longsight Park was targeted by yobs.

Off-road bikes have also used the park in Harwood as a track. 

Dozens of saplings have been uprooted, with the stakes and netting used around them  strewn on the ground.

Chair of Friends of Harwood & Longsight Park, Jane Wilcock, said: “In one park over four Easter bank holidays we had kids pulling out stakes and netting, three burnt out wheelie bins.

The park before the vandalism (Image: Newsquest)

“There was also a fire on a golf course and hours of dirt bikes and quad bikes being driven on the park and surrounding footpaths they shouldn’t be on.

“There was lots of littering too, one picnic table was graffitied, and another’s paint was scratched by a knife.

“And a Morrisons shopping trolley was pushed by two lads from the top of the park onto the path about 20 feet below.”

She added: “It’s a good job no one was on the path, I saw it fall.

Vandalism at Longsight Park (Image: Newsquest)

“This is usual park stuff that friends of parks try to sort out. We also had hundreds of people enjoying the park walks, play areas and flower beds.”

Local resident Stacey Smith discovered the saplings vandalism on Friday. She said: “We walk our dog on the old golf course numerous times a week. We see a lot of dog walkers and it really is a nice place to walk.

“It was so good to see the saplings being planted. They have been growing for about a year I would say.

“Most are completely destroyed and the ones we managed to save are too small to stand up on their own.

“Green space is disappearing and if we don’t look after this, they will surely build sooner or later.”

She added: “It is ridiculous that someone would do this in the first place.”

Volunteers who work to keep the park attractive

Another local resident who didn’t wish to be named said: “It’s heartbreaking, they’ve been there for a good couple of years and they were doing reasonably well for sustainability.

“I was walking the dog and saw dozens of trees had been uprooted by vandals, presumably.”

Volunteers and members of Friends of Harwood and Longsight Park have helped transform the area into a popular attraction. Their efforts have won the park Green Flag Community Award for the third year running.