Group's devastation after thugs snap trees in Preston Park

The trees in Preston Park, Brighton, were targeted by vandals on Friday night and were discovered by dog walkers on Saturday morning.

They were part of a collection of 60 trees, costing over £8,000 in total, that the Friends of Preston Park group had paid for through members' own fundraising.

Sussex Police said they did not have a record of the vandalism but confirmed that officers cleared a group of people from the area at around 9pm on Friday.

One of the seven cherry blossoms which was ripped in half

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said it will be liaising with Sussex Police and will help put in replacement trees during the next planting season, which starts in October.

Carol Cole, chairwoman of the group, who lives in Preston Drove, Brighton, said she cried after seeing the damage and said it was “beyond belief” that someone would purposefully destroy the infant trees.

The 68-year-old said: “I live near the park and went over to see them. I just cried, it was so upsetting to see after all the community pulling together behind such a lovely project. It was just so upsetting this could happen.

“People were so shocked, they just couldn’t believe that anyone would be so mindless to do this. One of the comments I got from someone who helped plant the trees was ‘I hope there is a special place in hell for people who do things like this’. That’s how angry people were.

A row of the broken cherry blossoms in Preston Park

“It is just beyond belief. The whole community has just rallied around, we have had people donating to us again to be able to buy some more trees.

“The problem is we’re now at the end of the planting season for trees, we will find out soon if there are any nurseries in the country that have this particular type of tree. Because it’s a feature walk, we have to source the same type of tree which is the same age.

“We have 11 trees left to plant, so what we will do is replace the broken trees first.”

Joe McNulty, vice chair of Friends of Preston Park, Beatrice Moreau-Gray, committee member, Sarah McKenzie, volunteer gardener and Carol Cole, chair of FOPP

Carol, who has lived in Brighton for eight years, said the group who were moved on by police initially returned a short time later.

She added: “I am concerned it could happen again, I have contacted local councillors and senior management for City Parks asking what we can do.

“One thing we could do is have fences for the trees but it’s all extra money.”

A council spokesman said: “We’re angry and saddened by this act of mindless vandalism. 

The incident happened on Friday night

“We understand the Friends of Preston Park have reported this incident to the police. 

“We will be liaising with the police in the hope of catching those responsible. Vandalism is never acceptable. 

“We will be liaising with the Friends of Preston Park as to how we might best replace the damaged trees. 

“Unfortunately, we don’t have any more trees of this type in stock, and we are also right at the end of the normal planting season. 

“We will replant replacement trees during the next planting season, which starts in October. 

“Unfortunately, it would simply not be viable to install effective anti-vandalism protection around every tree we plant in the city.”

For more information, visit the Friends of Preston Park website.