£4.3 million revamped park hit by vandals (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

£4.3 million revamped park hit by vandals

8:00am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in General By Marc Meneaud

Guardians of a showpiece park in the Bradford district have hit out at vandals who have daubed “bizarre” graffiti on public buildings.

A major clean-up operation was under way at Roberts Park, Saltaire, after tags and messages were written on shelters in the park, which was given a £4.3 million facelift two years ago.

Graffiti which read: “Knock fascism for six” appeared in black paint on the scorebox at Saltaire Cricket Club’s ground in the park.

More graffiti reading “remember Goose Green” and “remember 1982” – a reference to the Battle of Goose Green between British and Argentine forces during the Falklands War – was also painted on one of the park’s shelters.

Saltaire Cricket Club secretary Geoff Porter said he hoped CCTV cameras at the ground would help to catch the vandals.

He said: “As a club which has many ethnic minority members, we are against fascism and racism but we are also against mindless vandalism.”

Club chairman Ed Duguid said the damage was discovered by cricket club staff who volunteer at the Half Moon cafe on Sunday mornings.

Police are investigating the incident, which is believed to have happened on Saturday night.

Mr Duguid said: “It may be amusing for whoever has done this but not for us.

“It is in the middle of a world heritage site and has stopped the use of the scoreboard.

“It is fair enough that people have political views but to deface buildings that people have literally spent hundreds of thousands of pounds putting back together is not particularly helpful.”

He said specialist anti-graffiti solvent would have to be used to remove the paint on the scorebox.

Bradford Council, which is responsible for the maintenance of the shelters, will also have to fork out to have the graffiti removed.

Mr Duguid said: “There has been a lot of very very important refurbishment at the park.

“The shelters have been restored and look really good so, altogether, this has been a bit of a disaster.”

Thieves have previously stolen lead from the roof of the lodge in Roberts Park and, last year, the cricket club’s groundsman discovered the pitch had been dug up. Graffiti was sprayed on the statue of Sir Titus Salt in 2007.

Sharon Ashton, chairman of the Friends of Roberts Park group, said it had not suffered at the hands of vandals as much as some other parks.

She said: “People are so proud of the park, that if they see somebody doing something they shouldn’t be, they pull them up on it or report it to the police.

“I don’t think teenagers have done this. It is just baffling and bizarre.”

A police spokesman said they had been working with the Council to get the graffiti removed. Anyone with information should contact police on (01274) 537454.