The Tower Hide at Trundle Mere Lookout, overlooking Rymes Reedbed at the Great Fen, was badly vandalised over the Bank Holiday weekend. The door was ripped off its hinges and thrown through a window, along with several benches, windows smashed, a notice board torn down and thrown into the field. Another of the benches had been jammed in one of the window openings hanging half in and half out of the hide - the kind visitors who first came across the damage managed to unwedge it and stand it back in the hide (many thanks to them). 

A substantial amount of the wooden slats on the sloping walkway that leads to the hide have been broken, and food/sweet wrappers and bottles were strewn around. 

The incident was reported to local police and a crime number issued, so if anyone has any information please get in contact info@greatfen.org.uk

Kate Carver, Great Fen project manager said: "Sadly we know that all too often this can happen at rural hides - we experienced hide destruction and bench vandalism at Wildlife Trust Titchmarsh and Farthinghoe nature reserves in Northants last year - and serves to highlight the obstacles that get thrown in our way when we’re trying to connect and engage people with nature. Vandalism such as these incidences, is annoying at the best of times, but when we are still trying to contend with the financial and practical challenges of operating a wildlife charity during periods of lockdown it becomes tough to deal with." 

The Tower Hide was opened in summer 2013.