Community groups leapt into action after trees on Ham Common were targeted by vandals.

Residents woke on Sunday, August 24 to find young trees had been vandalised overnight, with the Ham Pond Group alerting the police and Richmond Council before organising repairs.

Police and council officers visited the common to help clear up broken bottles and recover the trees’ protective frame from Ham Pond before a working party, including members of Ham and Petersham Cricket Club, replaced the frames around five of the trees.

While replacing the frames, good-willed community members used ladders to reduce the damage to the trees, but many in the historic avenue in the centre of the common were already badly damaged.

Geoff Bond, from Ham and Petersham Cricket Club, said: "We really appreciate the hard work of the Ham Pond Group, the Ham and Petersham Association and Richmond Council to make sure Ham Common remains one of the most beautiful places to play cricket.

"We were horrified by the damage done by vandals and only too happy to lend a hand with repairs.

"We would ask anyone who witnesses criminal damage like this to call the police immediately."