BOSSES of a Furness nature reserve have hit out at 'mindless' vandalism at the site.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust said a bird hide at South Walney Nature Reserve was vandalised, with wood from the hide burnt on a bonfire.

The trust said Pho Hill hide - used to observe birds and grey seals on Walney - was broken into by vandals.

The incident is the subject of a police investigation and is said to follow previous vandalism at the nature reserve.

Paul Waterhouse, reserves officer at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “This is devastating, once again one of our popular bird hides has been mindlessly attacked.

"Our bird hides are very popular with visitors, who use them to view the amazing seabirds we have at South Walney, or to catch a glimpse of the grey seals that can be seen at high tide.

"We can’t understand why anyone would want to trash them in this way.”

The trust said it was the second time the hide had been damaged and followed two episodes of vandalism at another hide on the nature reserve in 2022, which caused £500 worth of damage.

Mr Waterhouse said such incidents were spoiling the nature reserve for others.

“We attract around 10,000 visitors a year who enjoy walking on the footpaths, experiencing the visitor centre and finding out about the amazing wildlife we have here on Walney Island," he said.

"It’s so sad that a few people want to spoil people’s enjoyment by attacking our hides.

"We’ve spent a considerable amount of money on the hides and other infrastructure at South Walney Nature Reserve.”

The wildlife trust has encouraged people to make donations to help repair and restore the vandalised bird hide by visiting www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/donate-south-walney.

Visitors to the nature reserve are able to see nesting gulls, eiders, oystercatchers and ringed plovers, while Arctic, little and sandwich terns arrive in the summer.

South Walney is also home to the only grey seal colony in Cumbria.

They can be seen at high tide year-round at their only haul-out location in the county.