Young girl on mission to rebuild vandalised scarecrow

A FOUR-year-old Omagh girl has pledged to help rebuild a landmark scarecrow which was cruelly destroyed by vandals.

Molly the scarecrow had become a popular feature at a road junction close to Gortnagarn and Knockmoyle, located at the place known as ‘the Kissing Bush’.

Over the weekend, the scarecrow was destroyed by vandals and had to be removed from the area. After hearing about the scarecrow, four-year-old Bella Maybin, daughter of Ryan and Clara Maybin, has pledged to help make a new Molly on Saturday.

Taking on the kind gesture, Bella’s mother Clara posted a video on Facebook as Bella claimed, “I will help you make a new Molly.”

Molly was created by community group Friends of the Glens, along with a host of local volunteers, as well as children from Extern – an organisation supporting young vulnerable families.

The Kissing Bush site has been used as a picnic spot, a parking place for fishermen and visitors from far afield have been known to pitch their tents there.

Sean Harper, committee member of Friends of the Glen, expressed his frustration at the incident saying, “It was with great sadness that local people were to realise that the site had been vandalised during the course of last weekend.

“The remnants of Molly were taken away so as to reduce the impact of the destruction. The children’s pebbles lay scattered; some of them were lost. There has been outrage and sadness that someone should choose to vandalise something that represented positivity and a sense of community pride,” said Sean.

However, Sean welcomed Bella’s offer to help build a new Molly, stating how her video has given volunteers the drive they needed to get going again.