Children at a coastal primary returned to school after the holidays to discover their wildlife garden was off-limits due to vandals.

During the Easter holiday the garden at Southtown Primary School was attacked by vandals who smashed up a bug hotel, torched a wooden bench, broke plastic seating, and threw the children's gardening tools in the pond.

Although the damage ran into hundreds of pounds - which essentially came out of the children's budget - it was more the pointlessness that was upsetting, the school said.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Plastic seating was smashed up by vandals at Southtown Primary School in Great Yarmouth.Plastic seating was smashed up by vandals at Southtown Primary School in Great Yarmouth. (Image: Southtown Primary School)

School support manager Zoe Chilvers said discovering the damage had been "heartbreaking."

"Some of our children have only been in school for three weeks and they were excited to be coming back," she said.

"We have had it for a while but we update it every year and it is a very important part of children's learning.

"It is really sad. The younger children make bird feeders and do pond dipping.

She said the vandalism was "just stupid", adding: "It's not achieved anything."

Norfolk Police are appealing for information about the attack which took place between Friday March 26, and Monday April 12.

Anyone who may have seen any suspicious behaviour in the area is asked to contact Op Solve on 101 and quote reference number 36/23658/21.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Meanwhile, the school is keen to hear from anyone who may be able to donate some new seating.

To help call the school on 01493 653908.