THIEVES who targeted The Front Skatepark in Weymouth before making off with cash have left staff and local skaters feeling ‘sick to the stomach’.

The skatepark on Preston Beach Road, which first opened in 2001, was vandalised in a burglary on Sunday evening and the damage has since left the popular local facility unable to open.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to the incident and say offenders broke in and stole ‘a quantity of cash’ between 1.11am and 1.23am on Monday - a timeframe of just 12 minutes.

Skatepark treasurer Lisa Kille said the office and work room had been ‘completely trashed’ by vandals, who smashed windows, the office computer and the safe before damaging stock.

Lisa added: “We’re currently assessing the damage but it could cost thousands of pounds to fix.

“This has hit us big time; we don’t have the funds to cope with this. The damage is unnecessary, mindless and has left us all gutted.

“It is soul destroying and we all feel sick to the stomach. On Monday we spent three hours just cleaning up broken glass.

“We will re-open on Friday April 24, with a donation box on the door for anyone who wants to support us.”

The skatepark was made possible after a three-year campaign by parents and young people. The group presented a petition with more than 5,000 signatures to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, asking for help to provide much-needed extreme sports facilities.

The council then donated a disused filling station site at Lodmoor.

Cllr Ian Bruce, spokesman for community facilities at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said: “To have our fantastic skatepark out of action because of burglary is a bitter blow.

“If anybody knows who caused these problems, I hope they will come forward to police.”

The skatepark’s Facebook page has also been flooded with offers of help from members of the public following the burglary.

On Facebook, Clare Simpson said the burglary was ‘terrible news’ and labelled the skate park ‘an amazing facility’.

Jacqui Atkinson added: “How people can stoop so low to break into a charity skate park is beyond me.”

Dawn Fuller questioned why people needed to destroy an active community place for children.

Lisa said a massive thank you must go to everyone for their support and to the police for all their help.

She added: “This burglary will not get us down. Everyone’s comments have given us massive support and they make us feel that what we do is worthwhile.”

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said officers are investigating the burglary and no arrests have been made.

Anyone with any information regarding the burglary is asked to call Dorset Police on 101, quoting incident number 20:11.

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