DEVASTATED volunteers are urging Melksham police to catch the vandals hell-bent on causing destruction at the Conigre Mead nature reserve.

In the latest attack, arsonists set fire to the dipping platform that was only installed in February at the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust reserve.

Volunteer Peter Colegate said: “This is the second attack in two to three months. They must have used petrol to set fire to it. I just wish the police could catch the people doing it.”

The platform, which was made from reconstituted plastic, was completely destroyed by the fire just days before Melksham’s South West in Bloom judging day.

Devizes-based WWT, which owns the reserve, said the fire was the latest in a series of vandalism attacks at Conigre Mead which have already caused more than £1,000 worth of damage.

In early May, trees, bushes and an old bench were set alight and destroyed in a fire and a new bench was ripped out and its legs sawn off.

A WWT spokesman said: “Wiltshire Wildlife Trust volunteers were devastated to discover that a new pond platform at Conigre Mead nature reserve in Melksham had been burnt to a cinder by vandals.

“Early in the year staff and volunteers spent days waist-deep in icy water constructing this new feature for visitors to use and enjoy.

“Sadly this is the second such attack at Conigre Mead in a fairly short space of time; a new bench was destroyed the very same evening it was installed, and the habitat has suffered with an area of woodland destroyed by fire and a large willow so badly damaged that it will need to be felled.

“These incidents have resulted in a huge cost to the Trust. With the hot dry weather set to continue visitors to our nature reserves can help us by reporting fires to 999.”

If you would like to offer practical support to the Trust through volunteering or donating towards reserve management please contact them on 01380 725670.