Thieving yobs wreck spycam Wigan nature project

Nature lovers have hit out at “mindless thieves” who snatched cameras filming for a Wigan wildlife project.

The equipment was stolen in Brock Mill near the Cherry Gardens some time between the night of July 29 and before 11am on July 30.

The group behind the project said they have footage of passers-by including three boys aged around 12 who they suspect committed the crime. They said the cameras are traceable, coded and identifiable.

Footage has been for a community project making films for children in hospital and hospices and the elderly in care homes. Volunteers set up the group in May when the lockdown started to highlight the nature that is on our doorstep and to educate people.

A spokesman for the group, which is made up of a number of residents, said they were “disappointed” and that the thefts have impacted on the project.

They said: “This is a lockdown project to film wildlife living on our doorstep in gardens and at night.

“We’ve filmed foxes and hedgehogs and deer and mice.

“We were then going to use the footage to create little films for different groups of people.

“This is for children, including children in hospital and hospices, as well as the elderly in care homes, so the theft of the cameras is very upsetting - and so disappointing during these difficult times.”

The group said that, fortunately, a lot of footage was already in the can and they aimed to show to children and the elderly in the coming weeks. And they will not be replacing the cameras.

The spokesman said: “We’ve lost some of the footage we would of filmed at the time the cameras were stolen but fortunately we have managed to film something.

“Lockdown has made us appreciate nature and it’s a real shame that there are a mindless few that have to do this.”

They added: “We have footage of passers-by and suspects, including three boys aged around 12.”

The group are now appealing for anyone who saw anything suspicious and has CCTV, especially around Wigan Lane, Brock Mill, Ludovic, Broomhey, Wingates Road and Leyland Mill Lane, to contact them or Greater Manchester Police on 101.

The thefts come after the Cherry Gardens on Wigan Lane was severely vandalised on July 19 by yobs.

Pom-poms created to celebrate NHS staff and key workers’ efforts during the coronavirus crisis were torn down from the trees and kicked around, with tree branches also being ripped off.

Litter including food boxes, bottles and cans was also left strewn all round the space and books from the little library were taken out and thrown around the

garden.