Northampton allotment association 'gutted' after £5,000 of new machinery stolen from shed

The green-fingered enthusiasts from Kingsthorpe Grove Allotments have estimated about £5,340 worth of tools - including two mowers, two rotovators and two strimmers - were taken from their machinery shed last week.

The equipment, communally used by 150 of the allotment-goers, was bought through fundraising efforts such as roadside fruit and veg sales, over a period of three years.

Committee member, Alan Tipping, 66, of Eastern Avenue South said he has had an allotment for the best part of 20 years. He said: "The equipment belongs to the whole committee so it could be lent out.

"It's held us back now. All the fundraising we did to get the new machinery is all gone.

"You can imagine, we are all gutted. It's really kicked us in the teeth... it's heartbreaking."

Chris, who didn't want his surname to be published, said the tools were probably worth more than £5,340 because they were sold to the committee at a discounted rate.

He said: "£5,000 is a hell of a lot to us.

"We do not buy rubbish because we want it to last.

"It will be another three or four years before we can replace all of this."

Two chain saws, one generator, one full petrol can as well as a CCTV camera was also stolen during the nighttime raid.

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire Police said: "We have received a report of a burglary at the allotments, that took place sometime between 7pm on the October 10 and 7am on October 11.

!Tools were taken in the burglary and we would like to speak to anyone who may have witnessed people acting suspiciously in the area or who may have been offered tools for sale."

Witnesses or anyone with information about this incident can contact police on 101.