Disgust at repeated vandalism

BRAVE FACE: Jo McKay, head teacher, and teachers Judith Hunt, Michelle Marriott and Jo Conaghan come to terms with the lastest attack of vandalism at the Manaia Kindergarten.

Vandals have struck at the Manaia Kindergarten in Masterton for the second time in as many weeks.

Head teacher Jo McKay said staff at the kindergarten, which is sited on the grounds of Masterton Primary School, arrived at work after the weekend to find graffiti scrawled along the frontage of their main classroom block.

"There was symbols and signs and it was really quite disgusting."

The block features a front verandah running along its entire length and a self-contained and extensive play area with newly installed sun sails that were vandalised about a fortnight ago, after having been installed barely a fortnight earlier.

The vandals had stacked playground furniture and climbed on to the sun sail, stretching it out of shape and burning holes in the material.

Security cameras at the kindergarten also had been snapped from their brackets a little over a a month ago and empty vodka bottles, cups and drug utensils had been found at the site as well. "They can pull the blinds down on the verandah and have a private place to party. We've made it quite welcoming here, quite cosy, but we've welcomed the wrong sort of attention I guess."

The latest graffiti attack had been swiftly painted over and the sun sails were still up and providing cover, she said.

Masterton Primary School principal Sue Walters said drug utensils such as bongs had been found on the school grounds as well and there had lately been some damage, including a building panel kicked in and a snapped chain.