A FAMILY business saw their windows smashed on their first day of opening last week.

Owners of Roots to Jungle at Abbey Mills were called to reports of vandals, at around 10.20 pm on September 19.

Nicola who runs the store alongside her partner and her son, says their first day was "great" and left the shop at 8.50 pm.

And after an eventful day, the family took time to relax before being called back to the store by members of the public.

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Nicola said: "We got a few calls from other business owners and a local resident to say somebody was using a hammer to break our windows.

"They broke six of our side windows, there was glass everywhere!

"We returned to the shop and it was all very emotional.

"Some plants were damaged with shards of glass- there was no sign of theft but just vandalism.

"Amazingly some of the local business owners helped us with the cleaning up.

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"SW19 Italian helped us out and boarded up our windows."

Nicola says, the family are not deterred by the act of vandalism and will continue to serve the community.

The family reopened the store the next day.

Speaking about the store's ethos, Nicola said: "Roots to Jungle is a plant shop with a difference!

"We wanted to create an environment where the community could come and chill amongst our plants with a botanical refreshment.

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"During lockdown our careers were hit hard, being in the sports and construction industry.

"With a love for plants and the fact that we often travel to north and east London to purchase them, we decided to take the chance during lockdown to plan this family project.

"We are not a family that is deterred by this kind of behaviour.

"I grew up in this community and we march on regardless, with more determination than ever!