Upset after memorial garden is vandalised

10:27am Friday 28th March 2008

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A MEMORIAL garden planted to remember tragic Malvern teen Samantha Portsmouth has been vandalised.

Staff at the Connexions youth centre, based in Albert Road North, were shocked when they discovered plants had been ripped from the ground, a fence knocked over, and barbecue equipment destroyed at the garden, which was officially opened in September following Samantha's death a month before.

Samantha, who was 18 when she died, was one of the prime movers behind the garden project, securing £1,000 from the Prince's Trust to help pay for it.

Although she passed away before the project was complete, Connexions staff and her fellow young people decided to turn the garden into a memorial to remember her determination and motivation.

Anne Dendy, personal advisor at Connexions, said: "It's upsetting because a lot of hard work went into this from the young people involved with the project, and a lot of money went into buying the plants."

She is hopeful that the fence and some of the plants can be salvaged, and hopes the garden will continue to be a well-used resource, especially as summer approaches.

"The plan is to keep it as a sustainable garden, and somewhere nice for young people to be," she said.