Thieves steal fairy garden made up by a 7-year-old girl

Grandmother Kim Scruffy has to decide what to tell her granddaughter after the “scumbags” destroyed her creation during the night.

Stolen - the garden dreamt up by Valentina

Kim, 59, from Southchurch, said granddaughter Valentina will be distraught after the incident at the home in Westcliff.

She said: “It happened in the middle of the night on Sunday.

“I am absolutely gutted for her that some scumbags have just come along and taken it all.

“I am really angry, nothing is sacred any more.

“We are now having to think of a lie as to why it’s all gone.

“Because of her autism, she has no stranger awareness and thinks everyone is her friend, so we couldn’t tell her it’s all been stolen as she wouldn’t understand.

“Something like this would make her say her usual phrases she says when she’s upset like ‘this is the worst day ever, I want to die’.”

All of the items in Valentina’s garden creation were stolen, including a number of fairy-themed garden ornaments of different sizes, garden tea lights, and a bird feeder.

After posting about the incident on social media, Kim has been humbled by offers of support from the public.

She added: “A few people have offered to send Valentina things to replace the garden, which is lovely.

“I am grateful for that.

“We will have to just tell her a story that the fairy garden has moved underground for those fairies and there is a new one now at the back.

“But it still doesn’t change the fact that someone can do something like this.

“Okay they may not have known the stuff belonged to a child but either way, it’s just disgusting.”

Ms Scruffy was planning to make contact with the police.