Kids heartbroken as firebug vandals destroy their toys

VANDALS have torched a children's nursery - leaving pupils without toys or equipment.

Staff at Dove Street Nursery in Nitshill discovered the attack when they arrived for work.

And they were unable to clear away the debris before the children arrived to see their toys reduced to ash in the playground.

Depute head Claire Kilna said: "It's sickening that they could do this to children's toys. It's a disgrace. When I first saw the mess I was almost reduced to tears.

"I couldn't stop thinking about how the children would feel when they came in - and how I was going to explain it to them."

Claire arrived at the nursery at 8am on Tuesday to find the padlock missing from the front gates. She quickly noticed a storage container housing nearly all the nursery's belongings had been set on fire.

Burnt prams and a climbing frame lay strewn across the grounds, in Nitshill and Priesthill Parish Church.

The nursery, which takes 45 children, is not-for-profit and relies heavily on donations.

Books, toys and equipment used by the youngsters have taken years to build up. Due to a lack of space inside the church the nursery uses, all their equipment was kept outside in an old shipping container.

Now the children have lost all their toys.

Claire added: "The children will still receive the same care but they will not have as much variety in their play.

"Our staff are using their imaginations to come up with other things for the children to do. But imagination will only go so far."

A police spokeswoman said they were made aware of an incident around 7.30pm on Monday when Emergency services were called to reports of a workman's hut being set on fire. "

To donate toys or equipment, call 0141 881 4888.