YOUNGSTERS who munched their way through thousands of chocolate biscuits to buy a drum kit for their school have seen their musical ambitions crumble.

Hundreds of pupils at George Tomlinson School, Kearsley, saved about 15,000 Jacob's Club biscuit wrappers from themselves, their families and friends for more than a year to earn enough points for a set of drums.

But staff were devastated to find the drums, which had their first public appearance at the school Christmas concert, had been stolen over the holidays.

Headteacher Tony Buckley broke the sad news to pupils during the first assembly of the new year.

He appealed for pupils and the local community to keep their ears to the ground in the hope that they will hear something that will lead to the drums being returned.

Mr Buckley said: "They have not stolen from the school but from the children who spent most of the year munching their way through chocolate biscuits to collect enough wrappers for a brand new drum kit.

"Children used them for their instrumental music lessons and maybe when the thieves realise what they have done, they will bring them back."

The school believe the thieves targeted the £450 drum kit because they cut through metal bars on a secure room but did not steal anything else.

But a similar appeal once led to the return of the school's speaker system and Mr Buckley is hoping the thieves or anyone else who has information will contact the school or the police.

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