AN APPEAL has been launched to pay for much-needed repairs after vandals targeted a popular nature reserve.

Thousands of pounds of damage was caused at the Teifi Marshes reserve following a series of attacks earlier in the year.

Now the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is launching an appeal to raise £15,000 to replace bird hides that were destroyed by the vandals.

The ‘Curlew’ hide overlooking the Teifi River was a popular spot to watch waders at low tide, but burnt down in March in one of the attacks.

Its proximity to Cardigan town meant that it was one of the most popular hides with local people.

Since then, the ‘Mallard’ hide, another popular bird watching shelter on the reserve has also been vandalised twice.

Wooden panelling on the walls was smashed, holes made in the roof, shutters torn off and interpretation display boards broken.

Although this damage has been fixed the hide is old and tired and is in dire need of replacement

The Trust plan to use hides that have been designed by a company called Green Future Building; a non-profit organisation who specialise in sustainable building and providing training and employment for disadvantaged people.

The new hides will be built using sustainably sourced fibre board which is highly fire resistant, vandal resistant and has a 50 year manufacturer’s guarantee.

Due to the hides needing to be built to order and with the extra security features, it will cost considerably more than a standard wooden structure.

Wildlife Trust staff have been working hard to try to find sources of funding for the project and a private trust has offered to match public donations pound for pound.

This is still subject to agreement however yet potentially for every pound we raise this trust will give us another thus doubling the total money raised.

The Wildlife Trust has therefore launched an appeal to raise the £15,000. At the time of writing they have already raised £10,200, more than half way

The Wilidlife Trust are asking people to make any donation they can afford.

To donate please visit the website welshwildlife.org/urgent-bird-hide-appeal-teifi-marshes/