A HEARTBROKEN Cumnock pensioner is desperate for her community to help save her business.

Bernadette Withers, 77, is relying on selfless volunteers to donate and help tidy up her soft play after it was allegedly ‘ransacked and vandalised’.

Mrs Withers had been at her brother's funeral and claims she was left sickened to return to smashed windows and furniture.

It comes as nine teenagers were charged with allegedly trashing a children’s playhouse in Cumnock.

The devastated pensioner was planning to sell the property for over £120,000 just weeks after it was ‘damaged’.

She had counted on using the cash for her retirement but now she doesn’t think she will get a penny for it.

But now residents have come forward to offer their support leaving her overwhelmed and hopeful that the playhouse might still have a future.

A Gofund me has also been set up to help pay to get the facility back on its feet.

Bernadette said: “It was a real horrible feeling when I realised it had been damaged when I had been at my brother's funeral. We had enough to deal with.

“I haven’t made my mind up if it will ever reopen yet, it really depends on how much it ends up costing us.

“I think it is so great that the community has really gotten behind us to help. If they could come help me clear it out that be fantastic.

“It has been a big surprise that so many people want to help, I don’t know if I can ever open it again but I would like to try.

“Selling the soft play would have been great because it is really time I retired.”

Bernabettes daughter in law has also stepped in to help get the soft play up and running.

Colleen Withers has estimated the damage has reached almost £90,000 but is asking for £2,000 from donations on the Gofund me page.

She said: “It’s a total mess. It needs plastered, carpeted, and totally redecorated .

“Now we are chasing people up for quotes to see if it is possible to save the soft play.

“We are really relying on the community to help us out.

“We had a couple folk contact saying they would be up for cleaning up if we put on a tidy up day with volunteers coming to help us empty the building.

“It’s a really horrible feeling we have been left with, we just want justice.

“We need a plasterer, an electrician, a painter, and someone to repair the soft play. If anyone can spare any time or money to help us we would be beyond grateful.”