Outraged residents have hit-out at vandals who struck at Harrington Nature Reserve.

Supporters of the reserve have been forced to pick up the pieces after various items were damaged on the Workington site.

Friends of Harrington Nature Reserve and Workington Nature Partnership volunteer at the beauty spot every Tuesday.

Susan Cammish, of Workington Nature Partnership, said that the damage was first discovered by dog walkers.

“Two of the on-site benches had been unbolted and moved some distance from the fixings,” she added.

“One bench was found in a clearing along with damage to the nearby footbridge. The handrail had been smashed-off and was found in the beck.

“The second bench was found at the bottom of an incline, in the beck area by a tree, with damaged slats.”

Benches have been restored and a hole which had been made in the foot path had to be refilled.

Susan explained that the work took 24 hours to complete with an expense of £35 for parts. She added that the repairs distracted the team from seasonal work in other areas.

One volunteer, Kevin Milligan, spent his birthday working on the reserve to fix the damage. He said: “Despite the blow to morale felt by the volunteers, who work passionately to improve and sustain the site for nature as well as residents and visiting school children, they stayed on site, longer than their usual time commitment, to make the site safe and fit for purpose.”

Angry residents reacted to the vandalism in a post on Facebook.

Carly Dennison said: “This is just so saddening. Those of you’ve worked so hard to provide something that is representative of the world we want our children to grow up in must be so disheartened by such reckless disregard for your efforts.”