CCTV cameras installed at Machynlleth community garden following vandalism

Police are now co-operating with the garden volunteers to place CCTV cameras in the area to try and dissuade future instances of vandalism.

Some cameras were installed on Thursday, April 28.

Volunteer coordinator Angela Paxton said: “Volunteers do the work in the gardens during our weekly drop in sessions and it has been very upsetting for all these people to see all the work they have done being broken and burned.

“Some of them were rude to visitors to the gardens.

“Quite a few visitors have said they were feeling uncomfortable and were not coming to the gardens as they were put off by the behaviour as well as the vandalism.

“There has been lots of litter left, mainly bottle and cans, which our kind visitors and volunteers have been clearing up.

“Although we have been thinking about cameras for a long while, it has been difficult to work out how to put up cameras because we don’t have electricity on site, and no high buildings or poles.

The police installed some cameras on some of the tallest trees in the area to try and capture a wide angle of the garden.

Some of the vandalism includes damage to tables, fences, bins and the interior of the garden shelter as well as its roof, floor and tables.

Plants have trees have reportedly been trampled, burned and pulled up, litter has been left on the premises, vegetable beds have been broken and the greenhouse damaged.

Bro Ddyfi has been making efforts to work with young people to mitigate the damage, caused by big groups of youths.

Angela added: “We had some workshops with young people through Ysgol Bro Hyddgen Uwchradd last year and paid a local artist to do a mural with teenagers who use the gardens regularly.

“This year we will have some workshops again for teenagers through the high school and would like to try other activities where teenagers can do practical actions such as helping to build benches.”