A village primary school has condemned vandals for returning “within an hour” after a “great effort” to repair the damage caused by a deliberately started over the weekend.
St Teresa’s Primary School in Little Lever had appealed to the community for help after their forest school was set alight over the weekend.
The area is used by children every week to learn useful skills outdoors.
Headteacher Jenni Willis said that they were “both devastated and furious” to learn about the vandalism.
She said: “We were both devastated and furious to learn that over the weekend, our forest school area had been targeted by vandals.
“In one evening destroying and burning months and months of hard jobs" target="_blank">work to create a beautiful area for our children to learn and play.
“Our forest school leaders, Miss Haslam and Mrs Bannister, had poured their hearts into creating a magical area to be used by all of our children.”
She said that they were grateful that a neighbour had scared away the “young teenagers” and managed to get there before it was completely destroyed.
They contained the fire until fire crews could make the area safe again.
The school put out a call on Facebook for donations and volunteers to help fix the damage.
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Ms Willis said that it brought “what feels like the whole of Little Lever together” and an “army of volunteers” turned up to rebuild the area on Tuesday (May 20) evening.
She said: “Local companies have donated bark, logs, fence posts and tyres to replace those that were burned and the whole community has rallied together to put this right again.
“We are so grateful and our children will witness what can be achieved when we all come together.”
However, the school said that “within an hour” of leaving a group of teenagers climbed over the fence and started to “throw the tyres around”.
Ms Willis said that they will be fundraising after half term to repair and extend the fence along the back path to ensure the area is “completely safe and secure for the future”.
She said they would welcome any donations to help with this and to contact the school if you feel you can help.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said that there has been an increase in antisocial behaviour in the area between Redcar Road and Fletcher Street.
A spokesperson for GMP said: "This started with youths hanging out in the wooded area of the path but has now extended to the fields behind St Teresa's primary school.
"We have had several reports regarding youths causing fires and burning down the forest school belonging to St Teresa's.
"Having visited the arson site, it is lucky that the fire service attended when they did.
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"The overhanging trees and dry conditions could have resulting in the fire spreading.
"This is a mindless act and ongoing enquiries will continue this week.
"If you have any information that could assist in the matter then please email 65429@gmp.police.uk"
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