'Sickening': Cancer support centre smashed by vandals

The “vicious” vandalism of a cancer support centre in the Highlands – forcing it to close for a number of days – has been described as “sickening” by staff.

Maggie’s Highlands on Old Perth Road, Inverness, had its doors and windows smashed in the early hours of Sunday morning, just weeks after it had started welcoming people to the centre again after shutting down throughout lockdown.

The destruction is the latest blow for the charity, which lost £240,000 in fundraising income due to cancellation of events during the country-wide shutdown, as it now faces a significant clean-up operation.

Andrew Benjamin, centre fundraising manager, said: “It’s absolutely horrendous. Everything we have all been through in terms of Covid-19 and the shutdown, we get back on our feet and this goes and happens. It’s sickening.”

Mr Benjamin received a call about the incident around 7.30am on Sunday, before seeing the extent of the damage.

He added: “People living with cancer need Maggie’s more than anything.

“We’ve been helping people through lockdown over the phone and online but people want that social interaction and we worked hard to get the centre in a safe position. Now we have to shut down again.”

Maggie’s has been in the Highlands for 15 years, having celebrated its birthday in June.

It provides practical, social and emotional support to people living with cancer, as well as to their family and friends.