An outdoor nursery in Hadleigh Country Park, Essex, has been left devastated after a fire, which the fire service suspects was started deliberately, 'decimated' its children's area. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, leaving the founder, Kelly Guthrie, heartbroken but resolute in her commitment to the children and the community.
Ms Guthrie, who established Little Wild Tribe in 2019, serving 35 toddlers daily, described the site as 'ferociously vandalised'. She recounted arriving to find what initially appeared to be the entire woodland ablaze. Essex Fire Service crews were called at 19:20 BST and managed to extinguish the flames by 20:00 BST, confirming that the fire is believed to have been started deliberately.
The fire caused significant damage to the outdoor learning facilities and a dedicated seating area used by the children. Despite the site being secured with high fencing, vandals reportedly managed to gain access. Ms Guthrie expressed her shock at the 'mindless destruction', emphasising that the nursery is a vital space where children learn and develop a love for the outdoors.
Despite the extensive damage, Ms Guthrie has affirmed that Little Wild Tribe will remain operational, utilising other unaffected areas of the park. The children are now engaged in creating 'thank you' notes for the fire crews, whose swift actions prevented further destruction and protected animals on a nearby farm. A public appeal for witnesses and assistance has garnered a 'phenomenal' response, with offers of help to rebuild coming from across the country.
Ms Guthrie remains defiant in the face of the vandalism, stating, 'This mindless criminal damage will not undo or diminish what this woodland means to our community. If anything, it reminds us why it's so important.' The incident highlights the vulnerability of community-focused outdoor spaces to criminal activity and the strong collective spirit often mobilised in response.