'Special timber clock' vandalised at Worthing park - 'Ripped up and thrown into the fountain'

Worthing Borough Council said it was ‘disappointed to share’ a photo of the act of vandalism at Steyne Gardens.

"The southern end of the popular park was recently vandalised,” a social media post on Wednesday afternoon (March 25) read.

"Our parks team arrived at Steyne Gardens on Tuesday morning to discover that features implemented by charity Sight Support Worthing (SSW) had been wrecked and dumped in the green space’s triton fountain.

“A special timber clock face created by the charity has unfortunately been ripped up and thrown into the fountain, as well as a number of planters that it kindly funded to help bring some added colour to the green space.”

The council said staff cleared the mess, with the support of the charity, on Wednesday morning.

The statement continued: “Sight Support Worthing promotes the inclusion and wellbeing of people living with visual impairments, and its volunteers have been kindly helping our parks team make Steyne Gardens a better place to visit for around five years.

“As a thank you for its continued work, we will be helping fund replacement plants and soil and work with the charity to reinstate the planters at the southern end of the gardens.

“We have reported the act of vandalism to Sussex Police.”

If you have any information that ‘might lead to those responsible being caught’, the council asked you to contact the police via 101 – quoting reference number 47250056283.

Sight Support Worthing officially opened its sunken sensory garden in Steyne Gardens in August 2023 – after a transformation which took more than two years to complete.

The old Triton fountain was restored to working order and a wooden clock was created around it, with a lovely lavender border. A whole host of new plants were put in around the garden, focusing on the scents and feel over the varying seasons.

After the act of vandalism, SSW chairperson Cherry Ward said rangers, along with volunteers, are ‘trying to save bulbs and flowers’ at the park but there will ‘not be the inner show of colour as previously’.

She appealed for anyone who heard or saw anything suspicious to report it.