Charity 'exhausted' by £19,000 equipment theft

Stanwick Lakes said thieves broke in to containers at the site in the early hours of Thursday

A charity-run countryside attraction said it had suffered the loss of more than £19,000 worth of equipment during a break-in.

Stanwick Lakes in Northamptonshire, a 750-acre nature reserve and park, said thieves broke in to two containers on Thursday morning.

The theft of a buggy, bush cutters, chainsaws, a leaf blower and other items would prevent "vital" work being carried out, the Rockingham Forest Trust said.

"It's a huge setback for the charity, both practically and financially. Frankly, it's exhausting to be targeted like this by criminal and anti-social behaviour on an ongoing basis," it added.

In April 2021, its play area was destroyed in an arson attack before being rebuilt following fundraising.

The popular play area was destroyed four years ago and has since been replaced

The current adventure playground replaced the one that was burnt down

The charity said it had CCTV that had been shared with Northamptonshire Police and its forensics team was investigating.

It said a Kawasaki Mule - a utility terrain vehicle, four brush cutters, three chainsaws, a nail gun, a leaf blower and other items were stolen.

Police said offenders broke in to two containers between 00:45 and 01:10 BST on 23 October and appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

The charity said it was assessing the full impact and had not yet set up a fundraising appeal.

Stanwick Lakes offers visitors walking routes and various activities

"We're grateful for all offers of support during this difficult time," it said.

"As a registered charity, we need to ensure any fundraising or donations are through our official channels for transparency and everyone's safety.

"Your kind words of support are making a huge difference to the team, right now and always."