VANDALS have wrecked a community garden in Shipley slashing poly tunnels to ribbons days before the start of a new initiative to get more folk involved.

The fenced and gated space, named The Blooming Marvellous Community Allotment which sits behind Crag Road and Annie Street, was established three years ago in a joint project led by the Health Action Local Engagement Project (Hale), social housing group Incommunities, which owns the land, Bradford Council and helped by Associated Waste Management of Canal Road, Shipley.

At the time AWM group marketing manager Mike Robinson said that many residents who live in flats and bedsits without gardens had approached their landlord Incommunities with a view to restoring the land between Annie Street and Stubbing Way into a community allotment.

But it has become the target for damage during recent months - with the worst attack only days ago, said development worker Joel Howard-Birt, of Hale.

"The best one of two poly tunnels has been slashed and completely shredded and the other one has been badly torn and cut," said Mr Howard-Birt, who is heading the new Flower Power project which starts on Monday..

"Most of the problem is inside the tunnels where everything has been thrown about and turned upside down, especially all the things in pots.

"It is very demoralising. We have had six or seven such incidents in the last three months - mainly during school holiday times."

Mr Howard-Birt said a wide range of people loved coming to plant things in the site's raised beds and the aim was to encourage more involvement from Crag Road and Owlet.

"It is challenging and we have had to lock the gate and put up a CCTV camera and motion sensor light, but those have now been smashed," he said.

"It's a struggle to now set up something new, but we have again asked all the neighbours to report anyone suspicious or any vandalism to the police."

Flower Power, is a joint project between Hale and Crag Road Methodist Church aimed at encouraging social enterprise by setting up a social business making and selling hanging baskets.

An introduction to the scheme takes place at the church on Monday at 1pm when it is hoped newcomers will sign up to be trained in the skills needed to set up the short term neighbourhood business.

Mr Howard-Birt said despite the disappointment after the latest attack on the Blooming Marvellous Community Allotment, they were determined to carry on and build on its success.

"It’s a shame to see what a few careless visitors have done. We hope that an increased use of and involvement in the site will deter further damage; and that local residents will take ownership of the garden and feel a sense of pride in what they have achieved," he said.