A PAYBACK scheme and volunteers have stepped in to help rebuild a community project torched by vandals in York.
As The Press reported last week, the ‘bug house’ – a structure intended for housing insects – was allegedly set alight at about 3pm by a group of youths, on the Foss Fairy Trail, along the banks of the River Foss across from Huntington Road, on Sunday, August 4.
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Now Tracy Ostle, chair of the Foss Fairy Trail, has said: "We now have Ember Glade Close.
"A massive thanks to community payback, The Tree Fella, Andy Speck, Travis Perkins and all those who chipped in with either material donations or a huge amount of work.
"Sadly there was further damage to the picnic area on Saturday night with a bench, fairy houses and the compost bin smashed, but this will all get fixed this week."
Community Payback is unpaid work and a community sentence handed out by courts.
Speaking after the initial fire, Tracy said: “That’s two years of work gone.”
Tracy explained that the bug house was completed earlier this year and was “looking really nice”, but it was destroyed completely destroyed.
Tracy maintains the path when she is not working as a civil servant.
Tracy shared a post on Facebook of the damage, urging people to report crime in the area to the police.
News of the structure being destroyed was met with anger from the community.
“Absolutely disgusting behaviour,” one commenter wrote under the Facebook post.
“So sorry this has happened to your lovely fairy trail, it gives so much pleasure to people,” added another.
North Yorkshire Police said patrols will be carried out in the area as the force’s investigation continues.
"Those responsible have caused a great deal of anger and upset,” a police spokesperson said.
"The Neighbourhood Policing Team is carrying out patrols in the area while our enquiries are ongoing.”
Tracy explained that she is not willing to let the vandals get the better of her and has no plans to stop maintaining the area.
“I’ve got to the point where I don’t think about the vandalism. I’ve got to rebuild it.”
Tracy said she is working with the police to try and reduce the amount of crime in the area.
She added that people have been “really supportive” of the damage and have answered calls for donations.
Police urge anyone with information about the vandalism to report it by calling 101 and selecting option four.
Information can be passed to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Quote the reference number 12240139974 when making a report to the police or Crimestoppers.
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