Moments In TV History: Vandals Trash The Blue Peter Garden

“A nation was emotionally scarred that day..” said one hyperbolic commentator as he recalled the vandalism of the Blue Peter garden in November 1983 and green-fingered legend Percy Thrower was visibly moved to tears by the whole situation, branding the culprits “mentally ill”. One person who almost certainly felt the emotional pang nearly as much as the show’s head gardener would have been Mr Taylor from Barnet who saw the ornamental urn he had generously donated to the show smashed with scant regard. The heathens then broke the sundial and callously threw it into the pond. “As if that wasn’t enough they then trampled the bedding plants!” added one harrowed presenter who seemed to think he was reporting on the liberation of Auschwitz. Watch out for the helpful subtitle at the end of the video…