A THIEF caused around £3,000 worth of damage when they stole lead from the roof of a community sports club.

They struck overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday last week at Bolton Olympic Wrestling Club in Wigan Road.

The community club has insurance but will still probably have to shell out to fix the roof and the damage it caused.

While the theft was noticed by volunteers on Wednesday morning the full extent of the damage was not realised until that night when rain started to pour in.

Jack Holt, the club's chairman, said: "It must have been a hell of a job to get it down. The repairs will probably be two to three thousand pounds by the time we are finished.

"We hope someone might have seen something, we are on a main road. It must have been a big job to get up and take it down and they must have used a van to get it away. It just doesn't seem possible without someone seeing it.

"They have really made a mess. We have just decorated as well. It is gutting.

"We didn't really realise the extent until the Wednesday when the Jujitsu people were in and it was raining and all the water was coming in."

The club reported the incident to the police and anyone with information should call 101.