Pre-school owner condemns 'mean-spirited' vandals
Hammocks, tents and chairs were among equipment destroyed by vandals
- Published
The owner of a family-run nursery school in Surrey said she has been left "heartbroken" after vandals targeted the rural site.
Play equipment at Little Rays Outdoor Learning Pre-School, in Godalming, was “cut down and sliced” on the private nature reserve on the Losely Estate.
School owner Pauline Cheeseman estimates it will cost £2,500 to replace what was lost.
Ms Cheeseman said in a Facebook post: “Myself and all the staff are heartbroken.”
She has set up a GoFundMe, external appeal after "not one piece" of equipment could be saved.
Ms Cheeseman said: "What sad, mean spirited people destroy toys for 2 to 5 year olds?
"It’s hard enough running a very small family business as it is, to then have to find extra funds to replace items that the children loved.
"What is also very worrying is someone walking through the woods with a knife sharp and strong enough to cut through toughened webbing."
As well as its nursery provision, Little Rays offers outdoor learning and a forest school.
Ms Cheeseman runs the site with her two daughters.
She launched a forest school in Godalming as her late husband used to take their children camping in the area.
The school was last year awarded a "good" rating by Ofsted.
The vandalism attack has been reported to Surrey Police.
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