Litter louts trash newly-refurbished Saffron Walden attraction

LITTER louts who endangered wild life by leaving a popular Saffron Walden attraction in a mess have been branded “disgraceful”.

The pond at Swan Meadow is in the process of a major facelift to turn it into a more welcoming home for wildlife and a more attractive place for people to visit.

But vandals have this week dumped plastic bottles and other debris into the newly-refurbished facility and cycled and trampled over the earthen banks only recently prepared for planting.

Uttlesford district councillor Alastair Walters, who chaired the town centre working group which coordinated the regeneration project, said: “It is an utter disgrace and a classic example of a few irresponsible yobs who do not care a hoot about the well being of the town and seem to get some perverse kick out of causing such wilful damage.

“I have asked our local police to carry out random patrols of the pond area at night and, hopefully, in due course those responsible will be identified.

“The one and only positive thing the hooligans did achieve, was to leave very detailed footprints in the soil, which I have photographed and emailed to our local Essex Police, as the images may provide identifying evidence at some point.”

Cllr Walters, who is also assisting the town council in a review of the town’s CCTV system, added: “Our recommendation will include, when finances permit, to extend CCTV surveillance of Swan meadow and the pond area with upgraded cameras, capable of producing much improve images at night.”

The pond had recently been revamped as part of a major project led by the Saffron Walden Initiative which included work to re-sculpture and re-plant the pond.