display in the centre of Kindley Field Roundabout.

Parks Senior Superintendent Martin Brown said the vandal struck overnight on Monday and cut away at a point near the centre of two plants where new growth occurs.

The green shrub which sports yellow veins will live but Parks officers will have to spend time and money nursing it back to health.

Mr. Brown said: "We can transplant a replacement plant but it's just aggravation. It's wanton destruction.'' He said the vandal would have had to dodge traffic to reach the shrub and then avoid its spikes to reach the core of the plant known as Agave americana.

Mr. Brown said: "It seems an odd way to spend your spare time.

"I believe it's somebody who knows about plants. If they had really wanted to destroy it they would have set about it with a machete.

"My first thought is maybe they wanted to use it for flower arranging but these plants are everywhere if you wanted it for foliage.

"It leads me to think they took a dislike to the arrangement or the plant itself.'' Vandalism at parks and recreation is a big problem, noted Mr. Brown.

"It's worse in summer with campers. We have had mature trees moved by campers just to make way for a better view.''