A PENSIONER has been left dismayed after arsonists torched her allotment.

Vivienne Hughson says the vandalism has destroyed her passion and left her facing a £5,000-plus bill.

The blaze ripped through her plot in Swaythling Allotments and destroyed her shed.

She said: “I was so depressed when I saw what happened.

“I adore going up there with my little dog to do work.

“I grow vegetable for my family and my neighbours.”

But now Mrs Hughson, 69, from Swaythling, is left cleaning up charred ruins instead of preparing the ground for winter.

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The fire claimed her tunnels, shed, £3,500 Rotavator machine plus the tools she has been assembling for her hobby.

It also destroyed her prized apples and potatoes.

Mrs Hughson said she suspected it was youths, who often hang around the plots, and that she might have been singled out for complaining about them.

No other plots were damaged.

Smoke was spotted by a security guard at the neighbouring Ford plant.

At first he thought it was an allotment bonfire, but then saw large flames engulfing a shed.

Fire-fighters from St Mary’s and Eastleigh fire station took one-and-halfhours to extinguish the flames on Tuesday at 10.30am.

Hampshire Police spokesman Ian Sainsbury said: “This has been very distressing for someone who takes pride in their allotment. We would appeal for anyone in the area who saw anything suspicious in the area.”

Police say they are not yet linking this attack to a spate of incidents last month.

This saw vandals striking at Hedge End and Witts Hill allotments.