DALLAM has been hit twice in the space of a week as vandals and fire have caused damage to parts of the community.

Dallam Community Primary School was the first to be hit on Wednesday, July 19, with vandals trashing the school's pond and garden area after scaling high fences into the school grounds. Plants have been ripped out of the ground and scattered across the patio and garden furniture, bird nesting boxes and ornaments have been smashed and thrown into the pond.

The area has been transformed in the past two years, thanks to the help of Prince's Trust volunteers. Now it is cared for by members of the school's gardening club, who had planted flowers and vegetables that were ready to be harvested.

Then, on Tuesday, July 25, a fire broke out on waste ground just off Hawleys Lane just after 8pm.

Locals feared that the wind would spread the flames to St Anslem's Church and the surrounding bungalows but firefighters were quick to get the flames under control. The fire is thought to have been started by youths.

A spokesman for the school said: "All the children and staff are terribly upset at this mindless act of vandalism and we would welcome any information from local residents regarding this incident.

"CCTV pictures put the time of the vandalism at around 10.30pm. Footage has been carefully examined and it is hoped that this will lead to prosecutions."