‘Senseless vandalism’ continues in Oldham’s parks

A park in Oldham is being targeted by repeated acts of ‘senseless vandalism’.

‘Mindless thugs’ destroyed two entry gates at Linear Park in Royton, as well as dismantling an entire picnic bench and throwing it into the nearby Salmon Fields in the past two weeks.

While the gates have now been fixed, the council and local residents groups are requesting members of the public with information about the vandalism to report it to police. 

Coun Chris Goodwin, Oldham council’s cabinet member for Don’t Trash Oldham, said: “This senseless act of vandalism is disgraceful.

“A community space has been ripped up which we’ll now have to repair when people should be enjoying it over the bank holiday. This is not what Oldham or Royton is about. 

“Anyone with any information should report it to the police so those responsible can be held accountable for their idiotic actions.”

Above: Dismantled Bench.

Local councillor Maggie Hurley, from the Royton Independents, has agreed to fund the replacement of the bench with a more durable steel version from her ward budget in an effort to ‘keep the community space vibrant and welcoming’. 

The Royton Independents and Friends of Royton Linear Park initially shared the news of the vandalism online earlier this week. Local residents were ‘sickened and angered’ by the news, with many commenting it was ‘simply unbelievable’ and ‘very saddening’. 

Others noted it was part of a general rise in anti-social behaviour in the area, which has included anecdotal reports of quad bikes being used illegally on green spaces, fly-tipping and ‘youths in balaclavas racing down the street on e-bikes’. 

The destructive act is not the first to hit Oldham’s parks in recent months. A pandemic memorial in Shaw has been repeatedly vandalised in April and a Nazi swastika symbol that had been carved into a lawn at Dogford Park, Royton, was removed in March.