A brand new toddlers' playground had paint thrown over it and toys damaged in a disgusting rampage that left nursery staff heartbroken.
Workers at Tiddlywinks in Port Talbot arrived at work on Monday to see a trail of destruction - with purple gloss splashed across the yard and the eyes ripped off a giant caterpillar play house.
Out the front, toys were chucked out in the car park while in the back fruit and vegetable plants planted by the children had been ripped out and strewn around the garden.
Nursery owner Vicky Wiliams said: "We had just opened the new garden for the babies after four weeks of work.
"Whoever did this didn't take anything but they tipped gloss paint over everything.
"It's just breaking our hearts."
The garden, designed especially for children aged two and under, was so new, the CCTV cameras hadn't been set up yet.
Mrs Williams said she would have to chuck all the plastic toys away as they were all contaminated with the gloss paint and "god knows what else".
"We're a Flying Start nursery in a deprived area and the little things, like planting and picking their own vegetables, really make a difference to our children," added Mrs Williams.
It is now too late in the season for the plants to be re-sown.
Mrs Williams has run the nursery for 17 years and said she had never experienced anything like it before. Sweet wrappers, cans of fizzy drink and empty crisp packets were also left behind in the garden by whoever broke in.
Unable to fathom why anybody would want to destroy a children's play area, Mrs Williams said her faith in humanity had been restored by the numerous offers of help to clean up.
"People have offered to clean up and donate new toys for the children," she said.
"We've even had a local company come to us to offer pressure washing."
South Wales Police has been asked to comment.
