A PEEBLES community group is “devastated” after vandals struck its new £6,000 yurt, just a month after it was installed.

Members of the Peebles Community Action Network (Peebles CAN) were dismayed to discover the damage done to the tent, which was paid for after Tesco shoppers voted for it in the store’s ‘Bags of Help’ scheme.

The vandals are believed to have struck overnight on Tuesday last week.

They left a trail of destruction, with smashed glass, litter, empty bottles and damage to the floor and a fire extinguisher.

The yurt is located in the community garden behind the Victoria Park Day Centre, on Kingsmeadow Road. 

Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme offers grants to community projects using the money raised by charging 5p for carrier bags.

Shoppers selected Peebles CAN to receive £10,000 of funding by voting using the blue tokens in store. Retail-giant IKEA also donated garden chairs and tables to furnish the yurt.

The community garden, which opened in 2013, aims to engage with young children across Peebles, by helping to promote a healthy lifestyle through encouraging outdoor activities, socialising and learning more about growing fresh vegetables.

Nichole Easton, community growing co-ordinator from Peebles CAN community garden told us: “We are very disappointed that our yurt was vandalised. 

“The yurt is just over a month old, and has been used for children’s activities during the popular ‘Grow Kids’ family volunteering sessions. 

“We had to cancel the children’s session we had planned for that Tuesday, as we couldn’t let them see it in that state.

“The funding granted was used to purchase a polytunnel as well as the yurt, which is valued at £6,000.

Nichole added: “Although we are devastated by this incident, we are hugely grateful for the support of volunteers, who helped with the cleaning of our yurt, re-painting the floor, and donating a new fire-extinguisher.”

Police Scotland said: “Police in the Borders are conducting enquiries following anti-social behaviour in the Kingsmeadow Road area of Peebles, which took place between evening of Monday 3 and morning of Tuesday, April 4. 

“There has since been an increase in high visibility patrols in this area and officers would ask anyone with information about this to contact Peebles Police Station on 101.”