London-based businessman James Bissell-Thomas stepped in last summer to safeguard the objects after the Mont Les Vaux site was sold to developers by the National Trust for Jersey.
He stored most of the ornate items – created by previous owner Colin Soudain – in a family-owned field in Bel Royal, but some of the collection, which dates back to 1957, was damaged earlier this year when three trees fell down at the site during severe storms.
Mr Bissell-Thomas also believes tree surgeons who dealt with the issue may have unintentionally damaged some of the items, and possibly removed bags from the site containing shell mosaic plates while taking tree debris away. Both claims have been denied. He has also had reports that two children were spotted smashing some of the ornaments in the field.
