Young gardeners waiting for their spring blooms have been left heartbroken after fire destroyed their allotment.

Gutted: Herald Armer and her son, Joe, five, and daughter Grace, three, with the burned-out shell of their allotment shed and greenhouse on the Scarcroft allotments in York. Picture: David Harrison

Joe Armer, five, and his sister Grace, three, of Scarcroft Hill, York, had planted the seeds only days before the blaze at Scarcroft Allotments.

But a trip to check the progress of their growth ended in shock as they found the shed they were inside had been burned to the ground and its contents destroyed.

Their mother, Herald, said: "They are absolutely heartbroken that this has happened.

"I'd bought them selection packets of seeds that were meant for children, which they planted in the allotment and were looking forward to watching them grow.

"We've planted some more directly into the ground, which has made them a bit happier, but they are still very upset."

The shed also contained gardening tools and other seeds recently planted in preparation for spring.

Mrs Armer said: "Everything now has been totally destroyed.

"I know it is only a shed, but it is a great shock for me and a disappointment for the kids. To replace the shed and the tools, seeds, plant pots and other things that were in there, will cost me at least £1,000."

Mrs Armer has been told by firefighters that the cause of the blaze could not be pin-pointed, but she suspects vandalism.

She said: "Security on the allotments is good, but there is a path which goes straight through, so we can't stop people getting through.

"There has been a lot of vandalism on the allotments in the past, but ours is the only shed affected by the fire."

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