Glasgow nursery has outdoor hut trashed by vandals

The incident is reported to have taken place at Knightswood Early Years Centre (KEYC) on Monday, June 24.

On Tuesday, staff turned up to work at the Great Western Road facility – which is located within the same building as St Ninian’s Primary School - to find the ‘cosy cabin’ in disarray.

(Image: Supplied) Officers confirmed they were made aware of the break-in.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, we received a report of a break-in at an outbuilding on Great Western Road.”

Vandals are said to have climbed over not one but two fences to get to the cabin before removing a window to gain access.

Pens were used to draw on the walls, letters were burned into the sides of the walls, orange paint was thrown over the front door, and the door burst open.

A window was removed (Image: Supplied)

Paint was thrown over the front door (Image: Supplied)A Knightswood woman, whose children attend KEYC, says she feels “deflated” as this isn’t the first time that this has happened.

She said: “It’s happened more than once now and it’s getting worse every time. They’ve [the vandals] actually burnt the inside of it this time, removed a window, and broke the lock off the door.

“The kids take their own sun cream in and it’s left in the cabin. During one of the previous break-ins the vandals opened all the sun cream and put it all over the soft furnishings, the toys, and everything.

“There’s no need for that. The cosy cabin is in the playground so there are two fences that you need to get over, including one which is about six-foot tall, to get to it but the vandals are obviously just climbing them.

“They brought lighters and paint with them this time so they’re coming equipped. My oldest has additional support needs and she loves the cabin, she always tells me about it, it’s such a shame.

“It’s deflating and the fact that people are going into this space for the kids and totally violating it is just so unfair.”

Pens were used to draw on the walls (Image: Supplied)

(Image: Supplied) The cosy cabin was bought for the nursery children using money raised by parents and the local community.

It provides a dry outdoor space for youngsters to play and learn.

Liz Rowan, head of KEYC, explained that staff at the council-run centre will now have to spend time cleaning the paint off of the door as well as fixing its hinges.

She has also urged parents to “keep a close eye” on the cabin over the summer months.

Liz said: “We’ve been here fourteen years and we’ve been really fortunate. It was only last year that it really started and the school had a lot of damage done to its outdoor classroom as well.

“There was an incident where it was a group of youths [who broke in]. It was neighbours that had spotted them and the police came down and managed to stop them from coming into the garden but on Monday night it happened again.

“I’ve asked parents to keep a close eye throughout the summer because I think this could be it starting back up again with the holidays coming up.

“We now need to look at getting the door fixed again as it’s unusable for the kids. We’re in throughout the summer as we’re a 52-week service so it’s not going to be lying empty for the seven weeks of school holidays.

“It’s just so disheartening.”

Paint on the ground outside of the cabin (Image: Supplied)

Letters were burned into the walls (Image: Supplied) A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “The damage has been so upsetting for everyone at the nursery and no one can understand why these mindless vandals would target a play area for toddlers.

“The vandalism has been reported to the police and anyone with any information should contact local officers with any relevant details.

“The cosy cabin was paid for by the fundraising efforts of families and the local community and it is sickening that it has been treated with such disrespect.

“The children will not be able to use it until it has been cleaned up and repaired. The nursery is open over the summer holidays and staff are asking anyone who sees youths in the playground to report it so that nothing else can be damaged.”