A SCHOOLBOY with special needs has been left heart-broken by vandals who destroyed part of his garden.

Ryan Marriner, 11, from Canberra Road, Littlemoor, Weymouth, had his only ceramic plant pot smashed with a pack of tiles in front of his house.

Ryan's grandmother, Gaellen Maguire, 61, and mother Joanne Marriner, 42, showed Ryan the damage after being alerted by a neighbour.

Ms Maguire said: "When he saw the damage he was heartbroken and in tears. He's so proud of what he does in the garden and it's very sad because he hasn't got the ability to understand why people do this."

The pot, which had pansies and geraniums planted in it, was screwed to a tree trunk at the front of the house.

Ms Maguire believes someone tried to remove it before using the pack of 15 tiles to break it.

Ryan and his mother suffer from Noonan's syndrome, an inherited disorder that can affect almost every system of the body.

The disorder can cause problems with sight, learning difficulties and speech delay.

Ryan, who starts at Westfield Technology College in September, got involved in gardening in memory his late great grandfather.

Ms Maguire, who has helped Ryan start out in the garden, added: "He tells me his grandfather comes and talks to him and shows him what to do. We have had to move his things to the back of the house because we are afraid of what's going to happen. I just think it's mindless vandalism and it's crazy but we don't normally have problems here.

"We don't get any graffiti or vandalism and we're trying to make the place look nice."

A Dorset Police spokesman said: "Anybody with any information about those responsible for what appears to be mindless vandalism should contact Weymouth Police on 01305 222222. This behaviour will not be tolerated by Dorset Police."