Residents in Bloxwich are facing further disappointment after vandals targeted the newly refurbished Leamore Park on Blakenall Lane, causing significant damage to planting areas overnight.
The incident is the latest in a series of set-backs for the site, which underwent a major £24 million overhaul as part of the Bloxwich Town Deal. The improvements, completed in October 2025, included a seaside-themed children’s play area designed with the help of local school children, as well as an upgraded walking circuit and new pathways.
The Mayor of Walsall, Councillor Louise Harrison, addressed the community via a social media post regarding the damage, describing the act as incredibly disheartening. Contractors from MAC Groundwork Contractors Ltd have begun clean-up and replanting efforts; however, work has been paused while CCTV footage is reviewed to identify those responsible.
This is not the first time the new facilities have been hit by anti-social behaviour. Shortly after the park’s official reopening in October 2025, vandals destroyed at least a third of 300 newly planted shrubs in a similar overnight incident. The project, commissioned by Walsall Council, had originally included specific anti-social behaviour deterrent measures in its design to protect the investment.
Leamore Park has a long history of struggle with anti-social activity, including the destruction of its pavilion by fire in 1994. The area has previously required significant intervention, such as the refurbishment programme in the early 2000s, to help restore the community space.
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