A lady who is “heartbroken” over her Santa decorations being destroyed has told Nottinghamshire Live that she doesn’t know if she’ll continue putting the display up.
Fans of the festive display were greeted by the sad sight of Father Christmas face down in the dirt after a chain to keep him in position had been broken.
"This isn’t the first time the display has been trashed,” said 77-year-old Gleniss Scotton, who has been putting up a Santa display on a bench shaped as a train at the Hucknall Road Local Nature Reserve for around six years.
“This year what made it worse is that it was chained. It’s not just someone going by and thinking I’ll trash it, they’ve put thought into it. The arm had been taken off last week, it was pulled out of its socket and I went and put it back on.
“It’s a shame, the kids look out for it and it stays there until Christmas Eve. People have been saying don’t let it put you off putting it up but I’m deciding if I let it go or do I keep it. I am disheartened.”
Ms Scotton said she started doing the display several years ago when her great granddaughter had said ‘there’s Santa’s sleigh’, meaning the bench.
She said how popular and welcome some people in the community find her festive display.
But the attack has left her wondering whether it's worth carrying on.
“It’s grown because when I first started doing it, it was an outfit I stuffed with paper, then it was a mannequin and for me, when it’s up, it’s the start of festivities," she said..
"I was heartbroken even though it’s a mannequin, if someone had just knocked it over I’d be fine, but someone’s gone to the effort of getting a chainsaw.”
Nottinghamshire Live went to the scene of the vandalism and spoke with passers-by.
Andy Turner, 65, from Bestwood Park said he could understand the discouragement it could cause.
“This isn’t the first year it’s been vandalised," said the retiree.
"If someone has put the Santa up with a good heart and in good faith, I feel sorry for them for doing something so nice for children especially. If it was me, I wouldn’t bother again if people don’t know how to act right.”
Karla Bishop, a 26-year-old sales assistant from Hucknall, added:
“It’s a shame. I don’t know why whoever puts it up does it but it’s a nice thing and it must mean something to them, I hope they’re okay and I hope to see it again next year. I always walk along here and something like that [the display] does make you smile.”
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