Boozing yobs torch equipment at children's woodland centre

VANDALS have left a group of dale youngsters upset after their secret woodland was destroyed.
Bright Woods Forest School, which was started by Honia Devlin, teaches children to appreciate the outdoors through a range of hands-on activities.

Despite their being no trouble at the site in Deepdale Wood, near Startforth, since it opened in April last year, vandals gained access last week and set fire to the equipment used to run the sessions.
An abundance of watering cans, buckets, tarpaulins, drawing boards and timber had been stored in a wooden cupboard made by volunteers. Vandals forced the doors open, moved the equipment to the on-site fire pit and torched it.
The vandalism is believed to have taken place sometime between the evening of Friday, February 3 and noon on Saturday, February 4.
Ms Devlin said: “I was really upset.
“Frankly it is quite heartbreaking to see the work you put in being destroyed.
“The equipment that the children use and play on has all been burnt. They know and they are really upset too.
“At the end of each session we usually have reflection time around the fire. One of the boys said that he hoped the people wouldn’t be coming back to destroy our forest.
“The children came up with ideas to try to keep them away.”
Empty alcohol bottles and cans were left behind by the yobs who destroyed the children’s balancing seesaws, a plastic table and scales.
Ms Devlin said: “The fires we have are only small but you can see how big their fire has been. It is dangerous.
“Everything was in the cupboard and they have burnt it all. Parts of the bucket handles were still left in the fire pit. It was a mess. We were even pulling things from the river.”
Volunteer Scott Denton attends the Scandinavian-inspired forest school sessions with his five-year-old daughter, Mia. He said: “We love coming down here. Honia is putting all the effort in to make it work. I helped to make the cupboard and they have kicked the doors in. It is a shame really.
“I think they were trying to get the doors off to burn them. It is not nice for volunteers to put time in if people are going to come in and damage it.”
Landowner John Durkin said: “Honia is trying to provide a first class environmental education experience for youngsters and the older ones have been wrecking it.”
Ms Devlin works with primary schools across the dale as well as running private sessions and parties.
Activities include shelter-building, fire lighting, foraging, campfire cooking, use of tools, woodland crafts and games.
Since the incident, she has been working hard to restock their supplies. She said: “I have had a wonderful response from the community offering wood and equipment. It is lovely to know that people care. I’m taking everything home now which is a shame. I loved how the children would come here and open the doors and take out their buckets but that is just not possible now.
“I believe in what I do and I will not stop. It is great to have the support of John and the volunteers. I have always been passionate about educating children about the environment. Forest School allows children to explore on their own terms which is wonderful.”
PC David Williamson, from Barnard Castle Police, said they had not caught anyone for the damage yet.
He added: “It’s a perfect den and it attracts them. It’s hard to put security in there as it’s an open site. We’re going to target the area with patrols but it’s a difficult location as they can see you coming down the lane.”
l To get involved or donate equipment contact Ms Devlin on 07399 575253.