Skip to content

Heartbreak for city farm after multiple break-ins

Georgia EadieWest of England
BBC The image shows the scene of a break-in. It is in the foyer of a farm where a large glass door has been smashed and glass is all over the floor. A fake farm scene with a plastic pig and a goat is all thrown around and there is glass all over the artificial grass. BBC
The donation box and a decorative sheep were stolen from the farm

Staff at a community farm said they were "heartbroken" after a much-loved donation box in the shape of a sheep was stolen and a glass door was smashed with a rock in the third break-in of the year at the site.

Thieves caused almost £1,000 of damage at Windmill City Farm in Bedminster, Bristol, but only made off with a "couple of quid's worth of donations" when they broke in during the early hours of 29 June.

Farm chief executive Steve Sayers said: "It is hard enough already to keep a place open for free to the public that everybody can come and enjoy... then to have this extra blow on top, it's quite a letdown."

Earlier this year the cafe at the farm was broken into twice in one night.

More from Bristol

The window was smashed and a tips jar with some change in it was stolen from the cafe over Easter.

Sayers said it cost £500 to fix the damage caused and staff "spent hours making sure that every last bit of glass was gone because we didn't want people to cut themselves".

He added: "We've had a bit of a run of it this year."

The 4.5-acre site is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with a large fundraising campaign to secure its future.

Sayers said there had been "a real flood of love" from people after he shared the news on social media.

He said they had received lots of donations.

"People felt bad about what happened and [said] how much they loved the farm," he said.

"There is light out of the darkness, if you like."

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.