A scout group has been left devastated after heartless yobs ransacked a container.
Youngsters at Holcombe Scout Group returned to Emmanuel Church in Holcombe, Bury, on Tuesday evening (November 2) to learn about fireworks and fire safety in its weekly meeting.
But as group leader Leesa Beckwith arrived, she noticed the group's outdoor container had been broken into and 'absolutely trashed' - with camping equipment including six tents, a dozen gas canisters, lamps, stoves, pots and pans all missing.
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She told the Manchester Evening News : "It's horrible. We managed to shelter the children from what happened last night, we just wanted to carry on as normal and deal with it all behind the scenes, but it's just shocking.
"So many people have come through the scouts, cubs, beavers here and now their kids are doing the same.
"It's a community thing - the scouts have been going for hundreds of years and our group for over 50 years. This is the first major hiccup we've had."
Leesa believes the break-in would have taken place in the past couple of nights, as the container appeared to be untouched last time it was seen by gardeners at Emmanuel Church.
She posted about the ransacking on Facebook, telling the perpetrators they had 'deprived children of the joy of the outdoors', and she has since been inundated with offers of support and donations from the community.
Leesa added: "It's all stuff that might cost £20 here and there, but when you add it all up you are looking at a few hundred pounds, or thousands of pounds.
"We will look to replace it all, and hopefully the insurers will help out for that, but I can't get over all the offers we have had from people donating equipment.
"We are only a little scout group but we are a small cog in a big organisation - we don't want to see this happen to anyone else."
The break-in has been reported to Greater Manchester Police.
Anyone with information can contact the force on its website or by calling 101, quoting crime reference number CR1/06NN/0018652/21.
To find out more about Holcome Scouts Group, or for any offers of support, email Leesa on adc.scouts@brscouts.org.uk
