East Belfast nursery school has laptops and money stolen

A nursery school in east Belfast has been burgled with laptops and a sum of money stolen.

The break-in at Glendhu Nursery, on Garnerville Road, was discovered by a caretaker on Sunday morning.

Principal Heather Barbour told BBC News NI: "We don't want our children to grow up thinking that that behaviour is good - we want them to grow up in a society where they value working hard."

Police say they are investigating the burglary and appealed for information.

They believe that entry was gained to the premises sometime between 14:30 GMT on Friday 29 March and 11:00 BST on Sunday 31 March.

"We're a very small nursery and, like many others in Northern Ireland, it's a difficult time," said Ms Barbour, who added that thieves forced their way into locked cabinets.

"Ironically, I said to parents on Friday, at a fundraising event for the nursery, that we were already doing so much for the children with less money and I would have loved to just go out now and spend the money that they had raised, but now sadly that money will be spent on replacing items that were stolen.

"There are only 26 pupils at the nursery and staff work so hard at creating a safe and welcoming environment for every one of them.

"For me, it's sad that there are people out there who are not happy with what's going on around them and they feel that it's appropriate to go out and do things like this.

"Initially, it was soul-destroying, but I have been so touched by the support from parents."