Vandals strike at memorial to Doncaster girl who died aged five

A memorial garden for Lena Grabowska at Park Primary School has been damaged.

Yobs kicked through panels on a pagoda which has only just been built on the site at Park Primary School, Wheatley, at the weekend.

And then on Tuesday is was discovered that someone had dug up plants which had been placed in a sensory garden section of the facility, and taken them away.

Pupils of Park Primary School in the memorial garden for Lena Grabowska which has been damaged.

It has caused upset at the school on Monmouth Road, where the garden was being built to remember Lena Grabowska, who died of a brain tumour aged just five.

There is closed circuit television on the site, and the school is now looking at getting a floodlight installed as well.

Headteacher Karen Fagg said: "It looks like the plants have been removed, not just vandalised. It is a great shame.

"The pagoda was only half built when it was vandalised, but the builders were great, and came out and repaired them. But the plants that have been taken were from a sensory garden and had been carefully chosen for their scents and textures.

"We always try to be calm at the school but people are upset about this. I hope the people who did it didn't know why we have created the garden, and will realise what they have done is not acceptable."

The school has not yet completed the garden and had not announced it widely.

A plaque bearing Lena's name has been fixed to the entrance, but a full memorial plaque dedicating the facility to her has not yet been put in place.

The school wants the garden to be open in the evenings and weekends as a place for peaceful reflection.

But Ms Fagg has been pleased with the support the school has had. "The residents living around the school have been amazing," she said. "They have been keeping an eye on the garden and have been the exact opposite of those who have caused damage.

"I think it's important that the community knows the reason why the garden is there. It a place for peaceful reflection and remembering a delightful little girl who was a pupil at the school."

"We all remember Lena very fondly as a strong willed little girl who loved to play with her friends."