CALLOUS thieves have stolen a toy shed from a Guisborough playgroup during the half-term holiday.

Hutton Lane Playgroup leaders have found that the shed is not covered by their insurance meaning the group now needs to raise £400 to buy a new shed.

The playgroup bought the shed to house its outdoor toys only a few months ago with money from the Redcar and Cleveland Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

Some time over the holiday thieves broke into the grounds of Highcliffe Primary School, where the playgroup is based, and stole the side and base of the seven ft square shed, leaving the roof and toys behind.

On Wednesday, committee chairman Wendy Dickens discovered that due to an anomaly in the insurance policy, the playgroup would not be able to claim for the cost of a new shed.

The youngsters' indoor play space has been reduced to make way for the outdoor toys because the playgroup dare not leave the toys outside.

It means that the group, which caters for tots aged from 10 months to three years, will have to start a fund-raising mission to buy a replacement shed.

The group intends to bring forward an annual sponsored bounce where they raise money for every bounce they make on a trampoline to get the fund-raising scheme off to a leaping start.

Mrs Dickens said: "I can't see what the point of taking the sides and the base is. We thought the shed would last about 20 years and it hasn't even lasted us a few months.

"The children are quite small and probably don't understand the great upset it has caused to the adults.

"It is very traumatic and I am very upset about it," she said. "I can't comprehend why anyone would take something from an establishment that caters for very young children.

"It is the first incident like this we have ever known."

A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said investigations are continuing. Anyone with information about the theft should call (01642) 302626.