POLICE have appealed for help to catch callous yobs who spread excrement on playground equipment at a Johnstone nursery.

A clean-up operation had to be staged at the West Johnstone Pre-5 Centre after the vandals also urinated on the play area, damaged toys and tore up plants.

The wrecking spree took place on two consecutive nights, with some parents choosing not to send their children to the nursery on Monday morning after hearing about the damage.

The vandals first struck on Friday evening, when there are believed to have been two culprits, and then again on Saturday night, when three yobs were involved.

Police have been scouring CCTV footage in a bid to identify the tearaways, who are believed to be aged in their early teens.

Inspector Cassie Glass, based at Johnstone Police Office, said: “What these kids have done by urinating and spreading waste on equipment is really quite extreme. They are mindless vandals and it is just awful.

“We want to find out who is responsible, so if anyone saw any kids acting suspiciously there on Friday or Saturday night, please call us.

“We want to get them before they do this kind of damage anywhere else.

“Someone will know who these kids are. The answer is in the community.”

The pre-5 centre is part of a shared campus in Beith Road that is also home to St David’s and Cochrane Castle primary schools.

Renfrewshire Council staff moved quickly to clear the mess and clean equipment and are now working with police as an investigation continues. 

Doris Robertson, head of West Johnstone Pre-5 Centre, said: “The nursery is open as usual and we would like to thank the cleaning teams who made such a fantastic job of restoring our outdoor space so quickly for our children to enjoy.”

Fuming parents took to social media yesterday to hit out at the vandals.
Community leaders also slammed the youths for their behaviour.

Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, who represents Johnstone South and Elderslie, said: “It beggars belief that people would stoop so low as to vandalise and deface a nursery playground in the way they have.

“We are seeing the community work together in arranging litter picks and clean-ups and this is extremely demoralising for everyone.”

“I’m delighted the nursery can remain open and I will liaise with Police Scotland to check the progress of catching the perpetrators of this despicable crime.”

Renfrewshire South MSP Tom Arthur said: “I was disgusted to learn of the acts of vandalism at West Johnstone Pre-5 Centre.

“I would like to thank parents for promptly bringing this matter to the attention of Renfrewshire Council and to the clean-up team for their work.”

Call 101 with information.