Glasgow: Vandals torch refurbished nursery, leaving heartbroken staff

Nursery staff in Glasgow were left heartbroken after cruel vandals set fire to an outdoor play area used by babies.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) raced to the nursery in Hamiltonhill, north Glasgow, after an alarm went off around 9pm on Wednesday.

But it was too late.

By then, the flames had burned through two sturdy sheds full of toys and special equipment, and a cozy baby cabin at the Hamiltonhill Learning Centre.

The refurbished garden – which included a wall of newly planted planters, planting tables and toppings – went up in smoke.

Two foil tunnels melted as the flames consumed them, leaving charred steel girders and greasy, holey polyethylene.

The head of the nursery, Frances Stoke, told the Daily Record she was worried the learning center would have enough money to recover from the fire.

“The fire has spread to our baby room and outdoor garden area where very small babies are playing,” she said.

“We only developed the area over the summer and spent a lot of money on it, so it’s heartbreaking that this has happened.”

Community Payback spent weeks cutting down trees and grass to make way for the outdoor area, which is now battered,” she said.

“We live in an area of ​​very high deprivation. A lot of the kids live in high-rise buildings or apartment buildings, so the outside area meant a lot to them,” added Stoke.

“We’ve been trying to get grants for these structures for a long time, and we’ve raised some of the money ourselves by buying one device here and another there. It’s just a nightmare.”

A Police Scotland spokesman said: “At around 10.10am on Thursday 17 November, police were called to a damage report at Ellesmere Street in Glasgow.

“Officials will speak to the reporter for more details.

“Anyone with information should contact 101 on reference number 0843 dated November 17.”

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