NURSERY tots were left in tears after cruel vandals trashed their brand new playhouse.

Toddlers at Larkfield Children’s Centre had to step round broken glass, smashed up plant pots and overturned benches yesterday morning after mindless thugs broke into their playground and destroyed everything in their path.

The specially made playhouse has been ruined just one month after it was kindly donated to the nursery by River Clyde Homes.

Speaking about the yobs behind the destruction, five-year-old Olivia Moran told the Tele: “I’m sad because they were naughty.”

Her friend Emily Lafferty, four, added: “We like to go out and play in our playhouse.”

Theresa McGoldrick, head of the centre, says she’s ‘shocked and saddened’ by the vandalism — which happened some time between 5pm on Thursday evening and 7am on Friday morning at the Westmorland Road facility.

She said: “Our janitor left just after 5pm on Thursday and when she came back in on Friday morning she found the place completely trashed.

“It’s very disheartening.

“The playhouse was kindly donated to us from River Clyde Homes, so we’ve only had it for a few weeks and this is what happens.

“It’s really upsetting.

“I don’t know why they are doing it.

“It’s stopping the children from being able to play.”

Emma Henderson, an early years education and childcare officer, was left sickened by the rampage.

She said: “I think it’s disgusting.

“The kids are absolutely devastated and some of the parents and staff were very teary about it, as we’ve worked so hard to build up their outdoor area.

“We have been trying to get the kids outside every day to do outdoor learning and it’s been great so far.

“This is preventing us from doing part of our curriculum.

“The kids have enjoyed being out every day.”

Emma added: “We’ve had it bad in the past but I think this has been the worst vandalism.

“The playhouse is locked but they ripped it open and put holes in its walls and broke the windows.

“The kids also had big ceramic plant pots — so they could learn how to grow seeds and plants — but it has been smashed off the playhouse.

“The children had also built their own castle for growing seeds and that was torn apart.

“It’s just a mess — everything is just gone.”

Despite the vandalism, the nursery remains defiant to carry on and keep things normal for the kids.
Mrs McGoldrick added: “This will not stop us going outdoors.

“We will keep doing what we can. It’s just very disheartening for the children, parents and staff.

“The parents have offered to help us clear up the mess, which is lovely.

“They have been a great support.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to phone Greenock police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.