Appeal after gym break-in causes £10k damage

Owner Edwin Cleary and commercial director Kurt Canavan said they felt "sickened" when they realised the robbery had happened

A fundraising appeal has been launched after a robbery at a gym caused £10,000 of damage.

Cleary's Boxing Gym in Whitnash, Warwickshire, said they discovered the burglary between 04:30 and 05:30 BST on Sunday when opening for their regular children's class.

Cash had been stolen from the vending machine along with members' kits, commercial director Kurt Canavan said, and the damage was "hugely upsetting".

He added that it was "sickening" to find "every locker and cupboard emptied and ransacked, it was like something you see on TV".

"We have spent months raising money, applying for funding, asking for help from local trades, working day in, day out ourselves to get the place looking and working amazing for our members," he said.

The not-for-profit community gym moved into its new £100,000 premises in Whitnash last September, with facilities including three boxing rings, a media suite and lounge area.

The gym has released CCTV images of the robbery on social media