A thief has stolen plants from outside an Oxford community centre - adding to the misery caused by a series of thefts.

Kate Hart, a committee member of the Headington Community Centre in Gladstone Road, was disgusted when she discovered the plants missing.

The thief appears to have been selective, taking fuchsias, heuchera, grasses, and shrubs, but choosing to leave some plants behind - leading Ms Hart to believe the offender may be a keen gardener.

She said: "Someone has taken lots of flowering plants, shrubs and ornamental grasses. But they left the lilies we had planted.

"The lilies flower from bulbs and wouldn't have survived being taken out and moved. Whoever stole the plants must have known this.

"They also stole all the care instructions for the plants they took, so they are obviously going to replant them.

Paul Gardiner, a volunteer at the centre - the home of Cherry Tree Nursery - said: "It makes me really angry to think that someone is sitting somewhere enjoying the lovely flowers in their garden that we paid for."

The stolen plants follow a spate of crime at the community centre over the past six months - which have included the theft of a vacuum cleaner and electric heaters.

The community centre's office was also broken into two weeks ago. A laptop computer and up to £400 in cash was taken.

However, Ms Hart said it was last week's plant theft which had infuriated her.

She said: "You don't think of gardeners as people who steal.

"Those plants made a real difference to the centre. But I don't want to go and buy more things, only to have them stolen again."