Playgroup destroyed in weekend attack

The PSNI said an oil tank was set on fire at the back of the premises just off Glenshane Road, which was reported to police just after 7am.

Drumahoe Community Playgroup, which only moved into its new premises in the grounds of Drumahoe Primary School in September, has been so successful that it is over-subscribed, and already had 20 children on its books for September. Now the children and staff have been forced to take up residence in a hut on the school grounds as plans are formulated on how best to proceed following the attack.

Although the building had been gifted to the playgroup by the Western Education and Library Board, they had spent a considerable sum bringing it into line with regulations governing playgroup provision.

Police have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

Chairwoman of the playgroup, Kerry Credoz, said everyone was "completely shocked".

"We don't understand why this has happened to our playgroup. We are devastated because we have put in so much work. We are a self-funded group and we have worked so hard to try and open. Just opening up meant we had a lot of costs to cover. Its strange because last week we were just saying that we had so many pre-school children already for next year. This is just devastating and we would encourage anyone with any information to go to the police," she said.

Outlining some of the many imaginative fundraising events parents and staff had undertaken to get the money together to open the facility, she said the whole community had supported and got behind the drive to create a community-based playgroup.

"There was so much hope and goodwill behind it and I hope that that continues and we will be working together with the mums and dads with the support of the community to get the playgroup back on its feet," she said.

The principal of Drumahoe Primary School, Terry McMaster, said the playgroup had worked for a number of years to fundraise prior to opening, and said to have gained access to it the perpetrators of Sunday's attack would have had to scale security fences.

"This was absolutely appalling. I am disgusted. I cannot believe it, words escape me. For somebody to have done this shows it was premeditated because it is not easy for somebody to get into the premises. This was a despicable act of wanton vandalism," he said.

Mr McMaster said he had spent much of Sunday on site with the caretaker, Robin Gardiner, the chairman of the Board of Governors Dr Norman Chestnut as well as Rev John Hannah, and while from the front the damage did not look too bad, it was a different story at the back of the old wooden building. He said the authorities may well decided to tear the remainder of the building down.

"This is a massive loss to the community. What we have is a community group that was nearly out of existence 18 months to 24 months ago, they got back on their feet and now have 20 children coming in September. The turned the place around and someone with a match decided they would make things difficult for them," he said.

Expressing the hope that the playgroup would be fully operational again as soon as possible, Mr McMaster appealed for anyone who knew anything about the arson attack to go to the police.

"The playgroup has spent in the region of 50,000 doing this place up, creating a new outside play area, reception and welcome area, and someone went in there with intent to do damage. I cannot accept it was a mistake or an accident," he said.

Playgroup leader Majella Doherty said everyone associated with the playgroup was "shocked".

"Everybody has worked so hard all year. We only moved into our new premises in September. We have a lot of community support from the people in Drumahoe," she said, adding: "Those responsible need to wise up and stop attacking community-based education facilities."

Alderman William Hay described the arson attack as "an absolute shame" and "a disaster".

"These people worked extremely hard to get this playgroup up and running and for someone to have come in would have required a well-planned attack given the location of the oil tank. This was a well-planned arson attack and I understand given the amount of damage done that the building may have to come down.

"People are disgusted. This playgroup was well prescribed and very well used and this is an attack on the children using it. This is a tragedy for Drumahoe," he said.

Mr Hay said he intended to contact the Western Board this week to ask if a payment could be made to the playgroup from the Board or Department of Education's emergency fund.