The swathe of snowdrops planted by volunteers at a Black Country nature reserve should have looked like a winter wonderland.

But the carpet of flowers has been wrecked by thoughtless vandals who dug up and then stole a thousand bulbs and then trampled over the rest at Bumble Hole Nature Reserve in Netherton, Dudley.

In a second blow thieves have also uprooted and taken 40 pine saplings planted by schoolchildren. Volunteers who manage the site today said the spate of thefts in the past few days was “heartbreaking” but are vowing to continue their conservation work.

Sue Goodyear from the Bumble Hole Conservation Group said whoever stooped to stealing the plants would probably sell them at car boot sales. She said: “It’s heartbreaking for us. We have to work very hard to raise funds to carry out our work so it is incredibly frustrating when one or two unscrupulous people come here intent on spoiling it for others.”

Around 8,000 snowdrops have been planted by volunteers near the visitor centre over the past 18 months. Pupils from Brickhouse Primary School in Sandwell raised the funds for 50 young trees to be planted and volunteers say they will be upset by news of the thefts.

The thefts will be reported to police say the group who believe a man seen with a trowel and a carrier bag is responsible for taking the snowdrops. Mrs Goodyear added: “It is a criminal offence to come onto a nature reserve and dig up the trees and flowers.”

As well as thefts, the beauty spot also falls victim to repeated vandalism and damage from motorbikes. Only yesterday motorbike menaces were pictured riding across the site, where vehicles are banned.