BRAZEN thieves have stolen £2,000 of equipment from a Burnley charity.

Twenty workers at Fresh Fields Enterprises were preparing for job at 1pm on Wednesday afternoon when the raiders took a selection of gardening tools from the back of a trailer.

The theft has left the Cemetery Lane charity ‘begging’ for loans of equipment to fulfill their scheduled jobs, according to centre manager Gail Harvey-Clapham.

She said the gardeners, who are all adults with learning difficulties and special needs, were ‘gutted’ after being told some jobs may have to be cancelled.

Gail said: “I can’t believe people would be so cheeky to do this in the middle of the day.

“We had just returned from our morning job and after lunch we were heading out to another. As we got on board the minibus, we reversed down the driveway to attach the trailer with the equipment.

“The equipment was gone, we couldn’t have left it for more than five minutes.

“It would have taken at least two people and probably a vehicle to take so much stuff.”

The thieves stole three petrol strimmers, two petrol blowers and a pole hedge-cutter. The charity is appealing for anyone who may be able to donate tools in the short-term to get in touch.

County Councillor Keith Bailey, who has strong ties with the charity, said the incident was ‘beyond belief’, and that he would be approaching the county’s disabled champion, Councillor Carolyn Evans.

He said: “These folk are out working so they don’t have to depend on others, and they do a really good job.

“It’s so upsetting. I would call on the community to rally round Fresh Fields and help them out.”

The centre was previously targeted in June 2008, when more than £500 worth of bedding trays and decorative baskets were taken overnight.