Several newly planted trees in Hillsborough Park, Sheffield, were vandalised last week leaving pathways lined with rows of “beautiful trees” broken into short, jagged stumps.

First planted by volunteers in November 2024 in partnership with Tramlines Festival, they said in a statement the destroyed trees were planted to “provide benefits for people and wildlife long into the future”.

In a sentiment likely shared by many in the community, Timm Cleasby, Operations Manager of the annual Hillsborough Park festival, when speaking with ITV, said he was “hugely disappointed” in the damage.

He added: “You know, as a team, we take quite a lot of pride in what we do with the park and we try and look after it the best we can.”

However, work has begun between Tramlines and Sheffield Parks and Countryside Service to work on replacing or repairing the young trees.

Visiting shortly after the vandalism occurred, Sheffield Wire spoke with Hillsborough locals and Sheffield’s weekend visitors to report on their views.

Stuart, 74, a lifelong Hillsborough resident, said: “They’ve done away with [park wardens] now, all you’ve got now is gardeners and they’re not going to tackle these kids – I wouldn’t.”

“It’s not safe at night, I’m 74 years old I was brought up round here, I will not come in here after 6 o’clock. I’ve never known it like this, never.”

James, from Heeley, Sheffield, said: “[It would help] if you had police patrolling the park in an evening when anti-social behaviour goes on, because I once-upon-a-time sat and drank in this park, I didn’t destroy the park though.”

Jeff Holmes, from Stannington, Sheffield, said: “[Park] wardens would be a good idea to try and reduce the vandalism. It’s just a shame as these would’ve been beautiful trees in years to come.”

Kayleigh, from Infirmary Road, Sheffield, said: “It is down to the parents, if the parents taught them in the right way then they wouldn’t behave in that way.

“It’s also the kids themselves as well; I’m sure they know better.”

Elsewhere in Sheffield, anti-social behaviour has been targeted with roadblocks hindering what residents called the congregation of loud cars and drug deals on South Street in Park Hill.

With future plans to change the area into a social “pocket park”, if some of Sheffield’s largest and most loved are not being protected, it leaves many questions to the effectiveness of this plan remaining.