Covid: Tonbridge vaccination centre targeted by thieves

The cables were stolen from the generator at the Sovereign Way vaccination centre in Tonbridge

Power cables were stolen from a vaccination centre, prompting an urgent appeal by an MP.

Thieves stole them at a site in Tonbridge, Kent, according to a tweet from local MP Tom Tugendhat.

However, a local business responded to the MP's appeal to replace the cables.

The centre appeared to be functioning as normal on Thursday, according to posts on social media, but some people who had their vaccines said there was no heating or lighting at the site.

Mr Tugendhat sent his tweet appealing for replacement cables at about 08:30 GMT, and then said the site was "back up and running" an hour later.

He added: "Thank you for pulling together. Tonbridge is a fantastic community and I hope we're about to see @kent_police at their best."

He also said that it was "pretty low" to steal from a vaccination centre.

The chief nursing officer for Kent and Medway, Paula Wilkins, described the theft as an "absolute shock".

"It's totally appalling people can steal from anywhere, let alone a vaccination centre trying to keep people as safe and well as they possibly can."

Kent Police said it was "sending a patrol to the scene to try and establish more details".

The south east is one of the regions worst affected by the Omicron surge, with more than 1,000 cases per 100,000 people in Tonbridge and Malling for the seven days up to December 18.

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