This Is Guernsey

By Ellie Rose

LOOKING out over an expanse of broken branches and tree stumps, park keeper Dave Martel said: ‘It’s so disheartening to see someone come here to deliberately deface the wood.’

As the groundsman at Delancey, Mr Martel (pictured) is no stranger to vandalism.

He has had to repair fences, clear litter and sweep away broken glass during his years in the job, but admits that a recent spate of incidents has him beaten.

‘Look,’ he said, gesturing to a stump.

‘This used to be a beautiful tree – nine or 10 feet tall – but it has been cut down to within a foot of the ground.’

Mr Martel could not think why anyone would want to vandalise the park’s wood, but said that the damage must have been premeditated.

‘The trees have quite clearly been cut through with a saw,’ he said, ‘but they don’t cut the trunk all the way through. They leave them hanging so I have to go and finish off the job.’

It took him about three hours to clear up after the most recent attack, which destroyed up to 15 trees.

‘It’s difficult to put a price on the damage, but it certainly costs a lot of time I should be spending on other things. It looks awful – you just want to get it cleared up as soon as possible.’

Mr Martel did not know exactly who was responsible for the vandalism but linked it to young people living nearby and said that underage drinking was a problem in the area.

In the past, the changing rooms had been broken into, fences knocked down and manhole covers removed from drains.

‘It really is very upsetting,’ he said. ‘These people don’t seem to have any respect for property, danger or people’s feelings.

‘I have to admit that the situation has improved a little of late,’ he said, ‘but I think that could be down to the cold weather.

‘We will have to wait till the summer to see.’

Article posted on 6th January, 2009 - 2.29pm