Hives damaged as vandals target garden charity

11:00am Wednesday 7th May 2008

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VANDALS got more than they bargained for after smashing up a charity's garden.

The destruction at Cheney Manor-based mental health charity Twigs (Therapeutic Work In Swindon) saw the thugs kick over a beehive, annoying 5,000 honeybees in the process.

And Ross Gregory, of Swindon and District Beekeepers Association, whose apiaries are kept in Twigs' two-acre garden, says the insects would most likely have provided a sting in the tail for the yobs.

Mr Gregory said a number of bees would have been killed, but it will take at least two weeks before the association can ascertain whether the hive's virgin queen bee died.

He said the vandals were lucky because the hive could have contained 10 times as many bees.

He said: "We have five hives at the moment and one was damaged during the incident.

"These hives usually contain 50,000 bees. Luckily for the vandals that they chose to kick in a panel attached to bees from a very young colony.

"I feel sorry for the stupidity of these vandals. Nothing seems to have been stolen so I presume it must have just been youngsters kicking and bashing stuff - perhaps we can chalk it up to youthful mindlessness.

"We are not sure if they were stung but their parents will know."

Twigs service manager Alan Holland said about 30 patients use the garden every day as a form of therapy.

He found the damage when he came into work yesterday, which included three smashed sculptures and signs strewn all over the garden.

He said: "It is sad and also gets me angry, it makes me wonder if these children have any respect at all for a place like this, where people have worked so hard to makes things nice for those who truly need it.

"I presume it was kids because they seem to have been chucking things around at each other.

"There is an air of sadness among many of our clients who have come in and seen the damage done."

Swindon mayor Michael Barnes, who counts Twigs as one of his two charities, said he was appalled by the damage.

He said: "Twigs does some fantastic work in assisting people recovering from various difficulties. It is a sad end to what has been a successful year of fundraising done for the charity."

Twigs is not the only charity to have been targeted recently.

In February head and brain injury charity Headway saw £4,000 worth of damage caused after its Headlands base was targeted by vandals.

Anyone with information about the Twigs attack is asked to call Swindon police on 0845 408 7000 or you can call Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.