Louth Tidy Towns group’s planter returned damaged after vandalism
Ardee Tidy Towns volunteers forced to replace planter after CCTV captures removal
Volunteers with Ardee Tidy Towns have expressed their disappointment after one of their newly installed hanging planters was vandalised and removed from the footbridge at the shortcut.
The group had installed four rail hanging baskets at the location carefully monitoring them each morning as the flowers settled in and began to thrive.
However, after three weeks, volunteers discovered last Wednesday morning that one of the planters had been forcibly removed from the railing and described their “soul destroying shock and disappointment.”
The planters had been securely screwed to prevent them from falling, meaning considerable force was required to remove the basket.
In a post on their Facebook page, Ardee Tidy Towns highlighted the frustration felt by the small group of volunteers who dedicate their time to improving the town.
“The amount of work we do voluntarily [sic] with such a small number of people to make Ardee a place to be proud of and then this kind of vandalism happens again and again and again,” the group said.
They appealed to anyone who witnesses vandalism to speak up and asked those responsible to consider the impact their actions have on the community.
Following the incident, the group say they received CCTV footage showing the person responsible, accompanied by a friend, removing the planter from the footbridge.
Ardee Tidy Towns said they were prepared to give those involved 24 hours to return it before considering publishing the footage online.
The missing planter was later returned, with the group confirming yesterday that it had been recovered. However, it was badly damaged and could not be reused.
“The good news is that all of the flowers have survived,” the group said, adding that they would now have to purchase a new planter, replant the flowers and reinstall it on the footbridge.
The volunteers thanked members of the public who shared their posts and offered support following the incident.
“We would like to sincerely thank everyone who showed their support, shared our post and expressed their outrage at this kind of behaviour.
“It is heartening to know that the vast majority of people in our community value the work of our volunteers and want to see Ardee looking its best.
This incident is a reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting our town.
“If you witness antisocial behaviour or vandalism, please don't ignore it – report it.
“By looking out for one another and speaking up, we can help keep Ardee a place that everyone is proud to call home.”