VOLUNTEERS and staff at a community building are reeling after lead on the roof was targeted by thieves – but say they were lucky to escape major water damage.

The Station, Richmond, a Grade II-listed Victorian building converted into a tourist attraction including cinema, shops, gallery and a restaurant, is run by the Richmondshire Buildings Preservation Trust, which is constantly fundraising to keep the space viable.

But the charity suffered a major setback during the early hours of Thursday morning when thieves took one-and-a-half tonnes of lead from a low section of the roof, directly over the buildings boilers, gas and electricity meters.

Angry manager Eileen Halliday said she was thankful it had not rained on the night it was stolen as the water damage would have resulted in the Station having to close and the trust having to pay compensation to its businesses for loss of earnings.

She said: “It is so irritating, we just can’t believe it. The annoying thing is we had just updated our CCTV system but the thieves must have planned it because they were in a blackspot the whole time.

“We have given some footage to police which shows a vehicle so we hope that will help – but we have upped CCTV coverage even further now with cameras on the roof so we can see everywhere.”

She said the theft would mean an insurance premium increase, and the added cost of the increased security was a blow.

But she thanked local firm Richmond Roofing Company for coming out straight away and putting a temportary fix on the roof to make it watertight. 

“We will have to do some more fundraising now. We always are but this will have a big impact on us,” she said.

Although it is believed the theft happened on Thursday night, it was not discovered until Saturday morning.

Mrs Halliday said: “I had actually been told about some nails at that end of the building by a motorcyclist who was worried about getting a puncture.

“The building manager had been doing work at that end of the building so I assumed it was from that, so I just swept them up.

“It was the following morning when someone went into the room beneath and could see sky through the ceiling that we contacted police.”

A police spokesman said: “This is a deplorable crime, targeting a historic community building, and an investigation is under way to identify those responsible.

“We’re determined not to let thieves destroy our county’s rich heritage.”

The spokesman urged anyone who saw anything suspicious, or has any information that could help, to contact police on 101.