Dismay at vandalism in Laois town centre
A photograph taken shortly after 12.30am on Sunday, 7 June showing some of the damage to floral displays
WANTON destruction of community flower displays has caused dismay and upset in a Laois town.
Carefully tended floral baskets were ripped from railings in Durrow and scattered all over the ground last night.
The baskets were secured to railings with heavy-duty industrial cable ties, so considerable force was required to remove and destroy them.
Durrow Tidy Towns said on social media today: ‘A great deal of time, effort and community fundraising went into these displays. It is deeply disappointing to see them deliberately destroyed.’
The group is appealing for information following the distressing vandalism, which happened late last night outside the library on Chapel Street.
Appealing for witnesses or anyone with information, the group said: ‘These flowers were purchased and installed by local volunteers using funds raised through community fundraising efforts. They were planted to brighten our village and create a welcoming environment for everyone, which makes this damage particularly disappointing.
‘The baskets were secured to the railings using heavy-duty industrial cable ties, so considerable force would have been required to remove and destroy them.’
The Tidy Towns group posted photographs on their Facebook page, showing the extent of the damage in daylight this morning.
They also posted a photograph taken shortly after 12.30am on Sunday morning, 7 June, when one of their youth volunteers discovered the damage.
Despite the late hour, the volunteer and several friends kindly helped tidy the area as best they could.
The Tidy Towns group said they would be grateful if anyone:
* Has Ring doorbell footage, CCTV, dashcam footage, or other recordings from the area.
* Saw any suspicious activity or individuals in the vicinity late last night.
* Has any information that may help identify those responsible.
They added: ‘Even the smallest piece of information could be useful. If you can assist, please contact us privately or pass any information to the appropriate authorities.
‘A great deal of time, effort and community fundraising went into these displays. It is deeply disappointing to see them deliberately destroyed, but we hope with the community’s help we can identify those responsible.’
