FARNHAM Town Council has hit back at Surrey Police claims that the scarecrows made by children across the town were not vandalised but merely down to the council not staking the scarecrows firmly enough into the ground.

The council has been keeping a close eye on the town’s recent additions after the row of seven on Dogflud Way, made specially for this year’s Farnham in Bloom competition, were found lying face down on the ground outside of Lidl supermarket.

The Waverley neighbourhood team at Surrey Police investigated but found that none of the scarecrows had been deliberately damaged, suggesting instead that "they were possibly not staked in far enough and have either blown over or have been laid down to stop them falling over",

The scarecrows were were out of range of CCTV cameras.

Iain Lynch, Farnham Town Council clerk, believes there has been a “misunderstanding”.

“It is quite clear to us that the scarecrows were not blown over," he said. "There was a metal stake stuck right down the back of each one securing them in place. These stakes had not blown over and were still in the ground.

“I think there has been a misunderstanding. I personally did not see the scarecrows but it seemed clear to those who did that it was down to vandalism. It is being looked at again and we are now waiting for a response from Surrey Police.”

Council staff feel certain it was an act of vandalism, but when officers attended some of the scarecrows had already been removed for safe keeping. Therefore officers had not come across scarecrows such as Plant Pot Pete made by pupils at Tootsies Nursery, which was claimed to be the worst attacked. The council clarified that all scarecrows made by Tootsies were "firmly staked into the ground".

A Waverley safer neighbourhood team spokesman said that due to the impact an incident of this nature would have on the community, officers carried out enquiries such as checking CCTV.

Last Thursday, a member of the Waverley safer neighbourhood team spoke with Farnham Town Council who then provided further information which indicated that they believe Plant Pot Pete’s scarecrow had been vandalised.

But Surrey Police stand by their original theory.

“Officers continue to believe that the damage to the scarecrows was not a criminal act and is more likely to have occurred after falling over or being laid down to prevent blowing over. The Waverley safer neighbourhood team continues to work closely with Farnham Town Council to ensure this annual event remains an enjoyable experience to all," a police spokesman said.

This year’s scarecrows have been made by children from Potters Gate Junior School, Tootsies Nursery, Folly Hill Infant School, Badshot Lea Infant School, South Farnham Infant School, and Westchester Nursery School.