Harlow: Gardeners start replanting at allotment after salt attack

Volunteers have started replanting at a community allotment after it was targeted by someone spreading salt on the soil.

Essex Police is investigating after Carly Burd's plot in Harlow was damaged last week.

The mother-of-three grows vegetables for people struggling with the cost of living.

Eight workers from Harlow Garden Centre helped replant about 300 onions, and some potatoes, at the site on Monday.

"It feels amazing and it's a big weight off my shoulder," Ms Burd told the BBC.

"The motto is never stop, just keep going.

"It doesn't matter how many times you get hit in the face - it's a learning curve- stand up, brush yourself off and crack on."

The 43-year-old revealed the damage on Wednesday in an emotional video shared via TikTok.

Police believe the incident happened between 14:00 BST on 7 April and 09:00 on 8 April.

Ms Burd said 300 onions were recently planted by local children but the salt would have potentially contaminated any moisture in the soil and killed the seeds.

Supporters have since donated more than £240,000 to her project, including Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker and entrepreneur Steven Bartlett.

The contaminated soil has either been bagged up or piled beside the plot.

Workers from the garden centre team laid fresh soil.

Ms Burd said one local child helped with the replanting on Monday and more would be invited to help at the weekend.

Harlow Garden Centre operations manager, Keiron Robinson, said his team had donated more than 120 bags of compost, bags of onions, potato and carrot seeds.

He said: "The work and time she [Ms Burd] puts in to support those less fortunate than others is remarkable."

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