Vandals trash community garden project classroom

Paul Williams founded the Big Yellow Bus Community Garden six years ago

A community garden project in Dorset was faced with an urgent clean-up after its classroom was vandalised the day before the opening of its accessible garden.

The room at the Big Yellow Bus Garden Project in Shillingstone was left unusable on Sunday after fire extinguishers were let off and shelves were trashed overnight.

The opening ceremony of new facilities for people with disabilities went ahead on Monday when the centre welcomed 70 visitors.

Founder Paul Williams urged the culprits to come forward and do some gardening work to make amends.

The mess had to be cleared up ahead of the opening ceremony of an accessible garden

Mr Williams said there had been about £100-worth of damage caused, including cakes that had been intended for sale which had been thrown around.

He said: "There's the loss of revenue from the cakes, Pepsi was opened and sprayed everywhere.

"I don't even mind them being here if they want to hang out - the aim is that they come and do a little bit of gardening work to make amends, spend a couple of hours in the holidays so they have some investment in this project."

The not-for-profit community interest company was founded six years ago and offers a community health and wellbeing space for anyone who wants to get involved.

Volunteers and students travel from across England and food grown is donated to local food banks.