'A part of us has now gone': Fisherman appeals for donations as £2,000 worth of kit stolen from shed

The shed, in Phillip and Jo's front garden, was badly damaged before it was broken into.

Jo Woolven woke up on Wednesday morning (January 8) to let Chewwy, the long-haired Jack Russell, into the garden while her husband, Phillip, was asleep.

While she was standing on her patio - she noticed the shed had been vandalised and the door to the shed was broken and on the ground.

She said: "Every day the shed is bolted and the padlock was nowhere to be seen.

Jo and Phillip, pictured with their dog Chewwy, are asking Northampton Partnership Homes to make their garden more secure.

"I went in and my husband's rod bag was in a heap and it was empty."

Five fishing rods, including four carp rods and a floater rod, were stolen, which he has been collecting for ten years.

Avid fisherman Phillip estimated the stolen equipment has cost him about £2,000.

Among the stolen rods, a landing mat, scales and umbrella were taken from the shed as well as a bird table from their garden.

Jo added: "I was gobsmacked. I did not know what to do.

"I came in the house and phoned the council because my husband was asleep. For months we've been trying to get a fence put round.”

Northamptonshire Police have launched a witness appeal to find the offender(s) who burgled the shed between 10pm on January 7 and 4am on January 8 in Trussell Road.

Phillip added: "I suffer from chronic depression and what happened has really knocked me back.

"I did not want to get out of bed yesterday morning. Fishing is something for me to look forward to. It's my only form of escapism."

Phillip, who is now 60, has been a keen angler since he was as young as six years old.

His grandad got him into the sport and he started to take it more seriously 52 years ago when he was eight.

Jo said: "I had spinal surgery last year so we have not been going fishing for about a year and we were really looking forward to it this year.

"We feel like they have intruded on us like we have been violated. It was a part of us in the shed."

The pair are appealing for kind-hearted readers to get in touch with any fishing equipment they might not need so they can continue their love for fishing next month.