A COMMUNITY garden has been shut temporarily after yobs snapped tree branches.

The Secret Garden, part of Queens Park, is expected to remain shut over the coming days. It came after vandals damaged a tree and flattened vegetation in the gated garden last week.

Judges for the Britain in Bloom competition are visiting the green oasis as part of a tour of south Swindon parks this week. Volunteers managing the Secret Garden anticipate it will remain shut until after the judging.

Paul Dixon, of the managing committee, said a large tree branch had been snapped off and a grassy mound had been rolled over, flattening vegetation.

Youngsters are thought to be behind the mindless vandalism. Mr Dixon said: “We’d like them to respect the place. It’s a small minority who ruin things for the majority who do respect the garden.”

On social media, people have rallied to the garden defence, posting messages of support and condemning the vandals