A YOUNGSTER'S dream of running a joinery business has been shattered overnight after his tools were stolen.

Cameron Scott, 17, from Stanhope, County Durham, has been training as a joiner for the past two years.

He has been building up a set of tools, so that he could work independently and start his own business.

The tools, worth just under £3,000, were locked in the garden shed.

Officers from Durham Police are investigating the theft, which is believed to have happened between 9pm on August 29 and 7am on August 30 at an address in Front Street.

Mr Scott said: “All the tools are what I needed. I can carry on, but it this makes it harder for me. I have had to borrow some tools off my boss for now.

“It’s been a difficult few day, but it is what it is, I am going to have to replace them all. I had just finished building up the full set of tools and now, two weeks later, they’re gone.

“It's going to take a lot of money to get them back when I could be saving for something else now, but it just feels like I have been put back to square one.

"I doubt I’ll see them again.”

Cameron’s mother Lisa Marie said: “This theft has really affected my son's work, and everything. I don't think he will see the tools again and now he has to start all over building them up.”

The two people were caught on CCTV trying doors in Front Street and the footage has been handed to the police. A vehicle was also seen leaving scene and heading towards Wolsingham.

Enquiries are ongoing and if anyone has any information, call police on 101 with incident number 82 of August 30.