DRUNKEN yobs have ruined an outdoor classroom area at a Swindon infant school and left the playground covered in broken glass.

For the last two Saturdays, staff, pupils, parents and governors have worked tirelessly planting, creating hedgerows and starting to build a pergola.

But on Monday morning they arrived at the school to find the area in a mess.

The pergola posts had been uprooted and thrown in a pond, the plants had been ripped from the beds, graffiti had been daubed and a window was broken.

Headteacher Christine Griffin said that the playground was covered in glass and beer cans, and there was also vomit on the ground.

"Parents, governors, staff and children have all worked very hard creating the area," said Mrs Griffin.

"This must have happened either Saturday night or Sunday evening."

She said everyone at the school felt very downhearted by the attack.

"The children were very upset because they wanted to go out and play but couldn't because of all the broken glass."

Playtime had to be postponed while the school waited for outside contractors to clear up the broken glass.

"We wanted to create a lovely outdoor learning area for the children to use and everyone is very upset by what has happened."

Sadly it is not the first time something like this has happened at the school.

On previous occasions vandals have broken into a storeroom and caused more than £3,000 worth of damage to the roof.

"The police are aware of this latest incident and are looking into it," said Mrs Griffin.

Mum Melanie Davis, whose six-year-old daughter Ellie attends the school, was one of the parents who had helped create the area.

"We all put in a lot of work and were out there from 10am until about 5pm both days," said the 37-year-old.

"We are trying to better the community and make the school more attractive and fun and someone comes along and does this."

She said Ellie had said that those responsible were "very naughty people".

"I told her when she went to school on Monday she had to look out for all the different plants I had planted," said Melanie.

"But most of them had gone. It's such a shame for the children."

The Friends of Ferndale School committee is now arranging a time when members can go in and repair the damage done.

Contact Swindon police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.