A newly-planted orchard in Green Grosvenor Park in Salford has suffered from a devastating theft of 11 trees.
Fruit trees meant for local children to enjoy were swiped in a callous raid on the newly-planted park.
Community organisers are pleading for any information to be passed to police.
The theft took place at the Lower Broughton park some time between the evening of Friday 15 April and the morning of Saturday 16 April.
Six apple and pear trees, five yew trees and the contents of two planters were stolen by cold-hearted crooks, resulting in over £500 of damage.
The orchard at Green Grosvenor Park was planted back in January as part of a project to create several new urban orchards in Salford.
The park was created as part of the redevelopment of Lower Broughton and contains a mix of grassland and woodland along with a popular children’s play area and outdoor gym.
For over 100 years the site was the location of the old Grosvenor Square Park.
The yet-to-be identified robbers managed to uproot the staked trees, even emptying the two wooden planters which were filled with raspberries, gooseberries, and herbs.
Jaime Wise from The Friends of Green Grosvenor Park said: “We work really hard to make this park a better place for all and it’s upsetting that someone would come in and steal these trees when they were meant for the enjoyment of all.”
Beth Kelsall from Red Rose Forest, added: “The Friends group have done an amazing job in improving the park and it’s such as shame that a few individuals are taking away from this great community asset”.
Volunteers from The Friends of Green Grosvenor Park, with support from Irwell Valley Sustainable Communities Project and Helping Britain Blossom, planted 30 trees in total over two sites with apple, pear, plum, cherry and hazelnut trees taking root.
The yew trees formed part of a new community woodland created by environmental charity Red Rose Forest.
The orchard was meant to provide free fruit for the newly built community of New Broughton Village and the fruit trees were situated outside the school gates of River View Primary School with the hope that local kids could pick and snack off fruit from the trees.
The incident has been reported to the police and The Friends of Green Grosvenor Park are calling anyone with information to come forward by calling the police on 101.
