NURSERY children from Okehampton Primary School were saddened and disappointed to find their outdoor learning area had, yet again, been vandalised.

The incident is thought to have happened on Saturday, June 19.

Logs that form the seating around the central fire pit were burned and rubbish had been strewn around the site. A brand new forest school shelter, made from an ex-army parachute, was also stolen. The parachute cost the school £50 and was erected two weeks ago to provide shelter from the elements for their youngest forest school users.

The school's eco-cordinator Fran Rickwood said there was doubt as to whether this term's forest school would continue without being able to use the log circle area.

She said: 'Ever since we've had the environment area, people have used it, but when they start burning the logs that make the circle it causes a lot of trouble — we just can't afford the time or the money.'

Teacher in charge of the nursery, Gitta Haglund, said: 'We become very disheartened when our environmental area is abused as its up-keep and maintenance is carried out by the goodwill of some of our parents in their own time. Our environmental area is used regularly by every year group with the aim that they will learn to respect nature and other people's property.

'Our children, therefore, are genuinely shocked when other children or adults use our environmental area disrespectfully.'