Staff and children at Wansdyke Community Primary School in Devizes were devastated to find equipment had been vandalised over the summer.

During the holidays a wooden summerhouse was broken into and trashed. There was evidence that the offenders had set up camp inside and had been smoking and drinking.

The offenders ripped bean bags, books and smashed pictures that were on the wall.

Pupils in Year 6 bought the items with money they had raised by making bird boxes and the summerhouse was officially opened in June.

Acting headteacher Becky Wilson said: “The summerhouse is called Our Special Place and it is somewhere quiet for the children to sit. The children are heartbroken.

“It’s just really, really sad that a lovely space the children worked so hard to maintain and develop has been mindlessly damaged.”

The children raised £200 for the equipment and one pupil, pictured in the trashed summerhouse yesterday, said: “Why would anyone do this? They think it’s cool, but it’s not.”

Left behind by the vandals were drink cans, bottles, food wrappers and cigarette papers. On the ceiling is a scorch mark. A wooden pergola at the school was also visited and one of the seats was burnt.

Adjoining Noah’s Ark Nursery School has also suffered from vandalism both before and during the summer holidays.

In the latest incident sheds were broken into and a double trike was stolen. Devizes Police are investigating the damage and Sgt Ian Thomas condemned the vandals.

He said: “These facilities are provided for children so it means the children ultimately lose out. The school will have limited financial resources and have got better things to spend their money on than to replace things damaged by mindless vandalism.

“I wonder how those who caused the vandalism would feel if it were their property that was damaged?”

Anyone with information about the damage should call Devizes Police on 101.