A LOCAL park runner has said that “mindless vandalism” is putting lives at risk after a defibrillator was trashed at Locke Park.
Runners on the Sunday morning junior park run found the device at the cafe had gone missing and the cabinet which held it smashed.
The defibrillator was later found by a runner discarded, but not damaged, in a flower bed.
Alan Mills, member of Friends of Locke Park, said: “It is putting people’s lives in danger and I don’t think whoever has done this realises the seriousness of what they have done.
“If someone collapses during the park run and there is no defibrillator it would be on their hands.”
He added that CCTV footage is being examined.
The £1,800 unit was installed just four months ago, after a man died during a Doncaster park run. Alan said that was the inspiration to join a national scheme, which aimed to make sure that every park run had access to a defib.
It was paid for by the Perrigo Foundation, the charitable arm of Silkstone-based pharmaceutical firm Perrigo.
The police are investigating the incident. Anyone with information should contact them on 101, quoting incident number 328 of April 2.
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