Woodland Walk Benches Back After Being Stripped for Their Bolts and Plaques

The benches along Tonbridge's Woodland Walk are back in place after being vandalised and stripped of their bolts and commemorative plaques earlier this year, which had left them unsafe to use.

Woodland Walk runs along the Penn Stream from Frog Bridge Sportsground to Scotched Field, and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council says it used the repair as a chance to refurbish the benches at the same time, rather than just patching them up. Cllr Des Keers, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said the theft and vandalism "quite frankly makes my blood boil," adding: "These benches are provided for the community to enjoy and to have them out of use over this lovely summer has been a great loss to the people that use that path."

The council isn't just replacing what was lost - local member Cllr Dennis King said he and Cllr Keers have been working with the Leisure Services team to identify locations for extra CCTV in the area, with the Anti-Social Behaviour Task Force also getting involved in protecting the benches going forward. Source: Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council