HEARTLESS vandals have attacked a forest area used for outdoor education at a Cookley school over the weekend.

Cookley Sebright Primary School teachers and pupils arrived at the school’s Forest School on Monday (July 6), in Lea Lane, for a lesson to see the area had been trashed and equipment had been broken over the weekend.

The school’s Forest School is used as an opportunity for children to explore the outdoors and join in activities such as den building, cooking by the fire and making things from natural materials, and has proved very popular with the children.

It also allows them to participate in child initiated activities, with achievable outcomes, and creates a space and environment in which creativity can flourish.

Sara Bromley, one of the Forest School leaders, said: “Someone had entered the forest area of Cookley Sebright Primary School over the weekend.

“They really have done a lot of damage to our Forest School; it’s really quite upsetting to see.

“They have basically thrown everything around and completely destroyed the area we use for our outdoor learning.

“Some of the equipment we use, including our custom built fire pit and our cooking tripod, has been broken beyond repair.

"The tripod legs have been bent and it no longer functions over the fire.

"We feel so disappointed and saddened as it has taken staff and community volunteers a year to develop the site.

"Our pupils have been made aware of the damage and they are all very sad and concerned.

"It was unfortunate that our reception class found the site and were very shocked.

"It had stopped our lessons and outdoor play for the beginning of this week.

"We have spent hours of our own time working and developing the land and have been lucky to have local business and parents support, it is disappointing to find people could cause upset to young children when so much time and effort has been put into making it a rich, unique learning environment."

Teachers and pupils at the school started to tidy up the area today (Wednesday).

The Forest School is available to several classes at Cookley Sebright Primary School during the week, and also an after-school club on a Friday.

A spokesman for Kidderminster Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “We believe the suspects are coming in through the play area of the school.

“On previous occasions we have had reports from residents that they have seen children on the field of the school out of school hours.”

Anyone with information about the alleged vandalism at the school, should contact West Mercia Police on 101, quoting incident reference number 0492S of Monday, July 6.

Information can also be passed on anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or by visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.