Vandals smash minibus at Fareham school in 'mindless' attack over Easter holidays

The site manager for Ranvilles Junior School found the minibus on Monday morning, with the vandalism believed to have taken place at some point over the weekend.

After smashing the windscreen and the front windows, the vandals took a traffic cone used in the car park and placed it inside the minibus.

Headteacher of the Fareham school, Angela Williams, is concerned the ‘mindless’ attack was carried out by a group of young people caving into peer pressure.

She said: ‘I’m worried it was just one person’s idea, and others went along with it.

‘I think if they opened their eyes (on the morning after the vandalism) and reflected on what they have done, they would realise they made the wrong choice.

‘It was just a mindless act.’

‘There hasn’t been anything like this for a long long time – I have been here for 11 years and nothing like this has happened in the time I have been here.’

Children whose parents are key workers attended lessons on site yesterday and saw the damage caused to the bus, which nomrally takes pupils to visit museums across London each week.

Angela said: ‘The pupils who came in saw it and were really sad.

‘They love using the minibus to go out.

‘But they have tired to rally round.’

But the vandalism comes at a time when pupils and teachers are still coming to terms with lessons under social distancing guidance.

Ms Williams said: ‘I think whats really hard is that we are normally squashed in the hall or working quiet close together.

‘Now with social distancing, we’re all spread out.

‘One child said it felt quite strange.’

But the school’s community have sent hundreds of supportive messages on social media. Ms Williams has added: ‘The community has been absolutely fantastic.

‘There are fantastic parents showing us support.’

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The school plans to make a claim on insurance to repair the minibus.

A spokesman from Hampshire Constabulary: ‘We were called just after 2.30pm (on) Monday April 20, to reports of criminal damage at Ranvilles Junior School, Oldbury Way, Fareham.

‘Damage had been caused to the school minibus, this is believed to have happened between 10.30am on 10 April and 8.15am on 20 April.’

Anyone with information is asked to phone the police on 101, quoting 44200139226.

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