STUDENTS and teachers have been left dismayed after a minibus was stolen from an Oswaldtwistle school.

Thieves drilled through a security padlock to get into the grounds of Broadfield Specialist School on Monday evening and stole the Ford Transit minibus which is used to take students on school trips and to and from events in the community.

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Bosses at the Fielding Lane school said they were 'sickened' by the theft of the bus which is funded by the school's charity.

Lee Bentley, extended services co-ordinator, said: "Our cleaners came it at 5am on Tuesday morning and found the padlock had been drilled off the main gate.

"The minibus was parked outside school. It was locked so we do not know how they got into it.

"We have four vehicles but this one was a plain white one. The others next to it have the name of the school on them."

Mr Bentley said the bus is used for a lot of things including taking the kids to college, swimming, to hydrotherapy sessions, residentials, school trips and work experience placements.

It is also used over the weekends and during the holidays.

"We have 132 students and getting them out into the community is a major part of what we do," Mr Bentley said.

"We do have other vehicles but they are smaller. We cannot fit a whole class in those.

"We are having to cancel things until we can get a replacement vehicle."

The minibus, which is on a three-year payment scheme, is funded by the Friends of Broadfield charity which raised money over Christmas to help pay for it.

"We put such a lot of effort in to raise money to pay for it. It is sickening really.

"It has been a shock to the staff and students. The students' routine is important. If they have been doing something weekly and it suddenly stops it can have an effect on them.

"It is a case of waiting to see if it turns up. We are appealing for people to get in touch if they see it."

He added if any minibus hire companies who can help them out with a temporary replacement can get in touch with the school on 01254 381782.

The Ford Transit has a registration number of EK12 RYB. Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting log number