£25,000 mountain rescue kit stolen

Peter Goble was storing team training kit worth £25,000 in a garage off St Paul’s Road, Nelson, temporarily while the group’s new premises in Burnley are finished off.

The unit was ransacked sometime over the weekend when entry was gained by prising open sideboards to create a small hole.

Equipment worth thousands of pounds was tossed about, diesel was spilt and medical kits tampered with.

The kit is used to train the charity’s volunteers to be ready for real life rescues and Mr Goble has expressed joy that none of the kit has been trashed beyond repair.

Mr Goble said: “I’d just spent about £60 on new locks for the doors. I never even thought they would come in through the side.

“It’s just bloody annoying. We’re in the process of moving some kit to a new location in Burnley while retaining a presence in Haslingden.

“I suspect it’s kids as it’s a kids playground round here. In some ways I hope it was kids rather than somebody looking to steal from a charity. I was a kid once, I know they can be mischievous.

“We’re emptying the unit and the equipment is being to moved to a new location. It’s just hassle we could have done without.”

Anybody with any information on the break in or who might have seen something suspicious should call police on 101 or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.