A LONG-time allotment holder has had his entire plot destroyed by weedkiller-wielding yobs as part of an ongoing saga.

Police are investigating after Bob Wegg, a town councillor who has had an allotment in Yarm for over 40 years, discovered at the weekend that produce in his four greenhouses and many of his vegetable beds were starting to turn brown and wither.

When he went to water them he realised his water butt had also been contaminated with weedkiller as the liquid in it was frothy.

Vandals had also sprayed many of his plants directly.

The attack is believed to be part of an ongoing battle at the allotments, which has seen reports to the police about intimidation and alleged false representation.

The town council clerk has also taken to wearing a body camera in case of any incidents.

Mr Wegg, who spends every day on his plot, and gives much of his produce away, was concerned because he had gifted lettuces to several people at the weekend, not realising they were poisoned.

“I have been planting this produce since February,” he said. “I think most of it has been sprayed but I don’t know exactly what has and what hasn’t.

“I will just have to watch them all die over the next few weeks.

“What worried me most was that I had given some produce away at the weekend. I have contacted most of the people to let them know but I didn’t know two of them at all.

“That is why I called the police in, because I was really concerned about people getting poisoned.”

The attack is believed to be part of an ongoing battle at the allotments.

A small number of allotment holders are said to have intimidated others, which has led to a number of evictions and the closure of a small informal shop there.

Town council meetings have been held in secret in recent months so tenants who feel intimidated can voice their fears.

Yarm Town Council has had to take a more active role in overseeing its allotments, and a new group for tenants has been formed, the Yarm Community Allotment Association, replacing the old Yarm and District Garden Association.

Mr Wegg said: “This has happened to another allotment too. There have been a lot of incidents so we’re reporting each one to the police to build up a log and so they can see the bigger picture.

“It’s very upsetting. I have lived in Yarm my whole life and my father first got an allotment in 1931 and I followed in his footsteps.

“I come here every day and put a lot of work in.”

Town council clerk Geoff Price revealed last week that he had purchased a body cam and had taken to locking himself in the town hall as he worked after being intimidated.

And Mr Wegg said some people had found it intimidating just going to the allotment, with a young woman being harassed when she went to her plot one day.

“She was physically shaking when she told people about it later,” he said.

  • Cleveland Police confirmed it was investigating a report of criminal damage at the Worsall Road allotments site in Yarm.
  • Anyone with information should call 101.