'Enough is enough' - Vandals wipe out Liskeard in Bloom

Liskeard mayor Roger Holmes has launched a personal plea residents to name names if they know of anyone who has been responsible for damaging the Liskeard in Bloom displays.

His appeal came after he heard that the Liskeard in Bloom committee had decided enough was enough and said they would not be planting any more flowers in Liskeard until the town has CCTV cameras.

The committee, which met last week, said vandalism and theft in the first few weeks of their 1999 display had taken its toll, with at least ten per cent of plants already destroyed, some, along with baskets, even being stolen.

Mr Holmes says he can assure the committee that the Town Council is fully supportive of CCTV and in partnership with Caradon Council, grants have already been applied for.

'Unfortunately I cannot say when the scheme will begin' he said, 'but I think it needs saying, that it is a matter for communal shame that tens of thousands of pounds of public money will have to be spent to combat this sort of crime, when in a different society, it could be spent on better things'.

He said the vandalism was down to a small minority, and if caught it would be a good idea to make those responsible put right the damage they had caused.

Bloomers chairman, councillor David Rowe, emphasised the Town Council's support for Liskeard In Bloom, and said there was no reason for CCTV not to be installed by Christmas. 'It is a sad comment on our times, but this is the challenge', he said.

The crunch came for the committee early on Saturday morning when secretary John Mashiter arrived on The Parade to find all the new granite troughs, except for the large oblong one next to the fountain monument, had had almost every plant pulled out, with earth and plants strewn everywhere. And at Barclays Bank across the road, the tubs had been emptied out completely.

'The mess was terrible' said Mr Mashiter, 'and it took me over two hours to clean it all up'.

He said members had done their best but obviously the plants were not in good condition since they had been disturbed. 'Ninety nine per cent of the community are delighted with the flowers' he added, 'even the road sweepers and a postman have been known to do some re-planting, but we cannot go on wasting the public's money'.