A LANCASTER horticulturalist has blasted the vandals who broke "virtually Every pane of glass" in a greenhouse only days before it was due to take delivery of 10,000 new plants.

Mark Bush, manager of the Ripley School Plant Centre, which is based at Ripley St Thomas High School, says that he will have to work "day and night" to try and repair the £500 worth of damage caused to the greenhouse by stone-throwing vandals.

"I came in and I couldn't believe my eyes. We have been suffering incidents of vandalism since February but nothing on this scale, and while not every pane is broken every pane will have to be removed to get to the ones that are," says Mr Bush.

To make matters worse the damage occurred a matter of days before the centre was due to take delivery of a shipment of delicate bedding plants tomorrow (Thursday).

"The delivery is made up of summer bedding plants such as begonias and busy lizzies which need the heat of the greenhouse to survive, and we couldn't cancel the order as it is coming all the way from Holland," he says.

Mr Bush is now faced with the sole task of trying to get the greenhouse ready to take delivery of the plants as he can't ask for help from volunteers due to the dangerous aspect of the job - many of the broken panes are still attached to the greenhouse frame and could fall at any time.

"I just wish that these people would stop and think about what they are doing. It's not just the cost. Somebody could get hurt," he adds.