A Leeds charity's Christmas winter wonderland lies in jeopardy after "scum" thieves burgled their garage lockup.
Charity volunteers are "devastated" and "appalled" after £600 of project materials were stolen in Alwoodley.
Plus their wider street art project has been halted, whilst Moortown West Community Association source more items and volunteers have "more hard work" to do.
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There was £300 worth of spray paint stolen, the paint would have been used to decorate the trail and grottoes in Tynwald Woods. It would have also been used on objects across Moortown and Alwoodley for the wider project.
Then there was also £150 of anti-graffiti paint stolen, a coating agent which protects the art, and three gazebos.
These were believed to have been stolen overnight from a garage unit off Fir Tree Approach, as the garage was seen propped open by an onlooking resident on Wednesday.
The charity said on Facebook: "Scum strike again!
"We have unfortunately woken up to news this morning of our storage being broken into....and some of our equipment stolen.
"To say we are devastated is a complete understatement."
Last year, the Moortown charity, which has about 25 volunteers, delivered 2,000 presents on a 23 mile round trip.
This year, plans were even more ambitious with mini-grottoes full of various festive characters in each one.
'Taken a hammering'
The charity's chairman Gareth Poole, 40, said: "We've already started the street art project but it's proper taken a hammering now, we've got no paint to do anything with.
"That whole project has been annihilated . I can't decide if I'm angry or upset, or both. That is plain and simple because we are all volunteers.
"To have someone take something from a charity, which everyone gives so much to, is appalling."
A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: "Police were called this afternoon (Wednesday, October 27) to a report of a burglary at garages off Fir Tree Approach, Leeds. Items reported stolen included paint and a gazebo.
"The theft is believed to have taken place at some point during the last seven days."
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Anyone who has information is asked to contact Leeds District Police on 101 referencing crime number 13210551580.
The independent Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111 can also be contacted.
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