£800 raised to restore reserve destroyed in fire

Work is under way to restore Pan's Garden

More than £800 has been raised to repair an outdoor nature classroom for people with additional needs that was destroyed by vandals.

Staff at Lancashire Wildlife Trust were "left reeling" after they were called to a fire at Pan's Garden, in Brockholes Nature Reserve, near Preston, on Monday and found a planting area and leaf and animal sculptures had been burned over the weekend.

However, they have been "overwhelmed by the flood of support" from people on social media and local companies to help restore the garden.

"So many kind and wonderful people offered money or their services that we will quickly have the classroom up and running again," the trust's head of communications Alan Wright said.

"Within our organisation, our contracts team insisted on working on Pan's Garden because they realised the importance to people who don't normally have access to nature."

The trust said the woodland area is an accessible space where people can learn about the wild plants and creatures at the reserve as well as being used for mindfulness sessions to help people who may have issues with mental and physical health.

It will be closed until the area has been made safe, the trust said.