A CROWDFUNDING campaign has been set up by a group of mothers left “horrified and disgusted” after their children’s school was targeted by “mindless” vandals.

And in just over a week, nearly £3,000 has been raised. 

It comes after Saxon Wood School, in Barron Place, Rooksdown, was vandalised earlier this month.

The school supports children with physical disabilities and features a sensory garden which was destroyed by the culprits.

Headteacher Richard Parratt told the Gazette that the people responsible had knocked over a number of the potted plants, ripped up a story telling bench and broke some of the musical instruments which are in the garden.

The damage is estimated to be valued at around £2,000, but a group of pupils’ mothers have managed to raise £2,800 to replace the items damage. 

Kerensa Cashman set up the fundraiser and says her son, Jack, attends the school and was one of the many children who loved to use the sensory garden.

She said: “Saxon Wood is a very small family community, there are only 37 students.

“And I know I can speak for us all that we are all horrified and disgusted that they would do this and take the sensory garden away from children with special needs and disabilities and who get great pleasure out of it.”

The fundraiser has already gained plenty of support, with almost £3,000 being raised in one week. 

You can donate by clicking here.

The vandalism was reported to have taken place at some time between August 3 and 4.

Basingstoke Gazette: Mindless: Vandals caused £2,000 worth of damage Mindless: Vandals caused £2,000 worth of damage

Speaking in the aftermath of the incident, Mr Parratt said: “We are just a small school, there are only 37 pupils on a role, but we have children here who are high dependency and enjoy the garden, so it is really upsetting to see that this has happened.”

He also says this is not the first time the school has been targeted, after a group of youngsters once broke into one of the school’s sheds to smoke.

He added: “We have made the school a lovely place for everyone but the people who have done this just have no respect for the school or the community.

“At Saxon Wood we have a really family sense of community and because of the nature of our pupils we are maybe not as emotionally robust as other schools.

“That is why this is so upsetting, there has been hard work and funding gone into this project and it is ruined in one day.”

Anyone with information about the incident should contact police on 101 quoting 44190276827.