HUNDREDS of children and staff have been left devastated after multiple break-ins at two local primary schools.

In the unconnected incidents, burglars struck repeatedly at St Andrew's, Little Hulton, and St Paul's, Astley Bridge, - destroying months of work.

At St Andrew's the thieves even stole the school pets, and a huge selection of goodies collected for the summer fair on Saturday.

At Paul's C of E, they took computer equipment bought in a supermarket voucher scheme after the local community saved vouchers for months.

Janet Williams, a governor at St Andrew's, said: "They first broke in on Sunday night and took the finches.

"On Monday they returned and took all our tombola goods and boxes of T-shirts collected for our summer fair. They also took the infants' pet rabbit.

"The children are heartbroken. A lot of hard work had been put into it and now it is all gone.

"The birds and rabbit were loved by lots of children under six years old. It worries me about what the thieves would be doing with the animals.

"I have been trying to see if we can get people to re-donate goods. The fair will have to go on."

The stolen T-shirts featured Manchester United players, Cambridge University and Stonehenge.

Thieves struck at St Paul's on three consecutive nights from Saturday.

On the first occasion, they stole a local education authority computer and keyboard. Then they took a computer donated by local people using Asda's Computers in School vouchers.

Headteacher Sharon Mann said: "The church collected vouchers for the computer, helped by local pensioners, parents and residents. It took three months but now these thieves have waltzed off with it. It had been a great effort by everyone.

"The children are devastated. We had bought lots of new CDs and they have also been stolen.

"The school is fully alarmed and on each occasion the thieves smashed through reinforced glass and got through internal doors. A lot of effort had obviously gone into the burglaries. I cannot understand how anyone could have been so cruel."

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