This was a strange case which all started, as these things often do, with a phone call. A press officer with Scarborough Council rang and said that he might have a decent tale for me. It turned out that a mystery person had been sabotaging floral displays in a local village ahead of the Britain In Bloom judges arrival. It turned out the suspect was using a weedkiller that was actually banned – sodium chlorate. As the story progressed it turned out that the villagers hired security patrols to help protect the remaining displays.

A VANDAL with banned weedkiller has gone on the rampage wrecking almost 30 floral displays in a Scarborough village.

The spate of attacks in Cayton could be a deliberate attempt to scupper the community’s chances in this year’s National Britain In Bloom Competition, it is believed.

Over the past month, several prominent areas have been subject to a deliberate attempt to kill off many of the colourful plants that have taken the village to national recognition.

The destruction is a direct result of one of the most common weedkillers which used to be in most gardeners’ sheds, sodium chlorate, but which is now banned.

This has been spread through the beds with specific plants being targeted. Samples taken for analysis by The Food and Environment Research Agency Laboratories at Sand Hutton near York have confirmed this.

The weedkiller had been banned from sale across Europe in September and its use was outlawed earlier this month.

“It stays in the soil for between five and seven years,” said a shocked Les Hutchinson, chairman of the Cayton In Bloom group. He added: “It is just unbelievable. You just can’t understand how or why it has been done.”

Mr Hutchinson said a number of flower beds and planters across the village had been targeted. He said: “The police are looking into one or two suspects.”

Roger Burnett, Scarborough council’s Parks and Countryside Services manager and chairman of the National Royal Horticultural Society Britain in Bloom judging panel, said he was “horrified” at what has happened.

He said: “Cayton in Bloom has strived for many years to improve the village and have won national recognition for their efforts.”

Ron Smith, a Cayton In Bloom group member, said he first found evidence of several attacks in Main Street. He said: “This is deliberate, not accidental. It is across the full length of the village.”

From the Scarborough Evening News on Friday, May 28, 2010.

Plants poison attack: guards on patrols

A PRIVATE security firm will be mounting round-the-clock patrols to help protect flower beds in a Scarborough village.

It is hoped that the extra security will deter further attacks by plant poisoners in Cayton ahead of the arrival of Britain In Bloom judges next month.

The move follows a spate of attacks in May this year with sodium chlorate – a banned weedkiller which had been spread through the flower beds targeting specific plants.

The Cayton in Bloom group believes it was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the village’s hopes in the national contest.

Group chairman Les Hutchinson said: “This is a very serious situation and we had no choice but to hire guards. We have to do all we can. Guards will be on the lookout for anybody acting suspiciously.”

Uniformed officers in marked vehicles from the security firm have been hired alongside plain-clothed officers to protect displays for Britain in Bloom judging on Wednesday, August 11.

The security officers provided by firm Instore Security will cover the whole village throughout the summer, carrying out patrols every day.

Dave Williams, director of Instore Security, said: “Although our officers are on the lookout, we usually find that just their presence is enough to deter vandals. Often petty crime in the area diminishes too, meaning this will benefit the whole community.

“Although we usually look after transport stores and depots we do get asked to do this sort of thing as well. If it works against professional thieves I would be very disappointed if it didn’t have an effect in Cayton.”

Samples taken for analysis by The Food and Environment Research Agency Laboratories at Sand Hutton, near York, confirmed sodium chlorate had been used.

The cost of the patrols will be covered by private donations from the huge public response to the attacks.

From the Scarborough Evening News on Saturday, July 10, 2010.