PARENTS say they are "disgusted" by a burglary at a popular scout hut that is home to hundreds of children and young people.

The 17th Bolton Scout hut, which is also used by out-of-school day care club Kare 4 Kids, was ransacked during a raid in the early hours of Bank Holiday Monday.

Trespassers smashed through a side door at the venue in Markland Hill, Heaton, and stole a television from the children’s ‘quiet room’. They also pinched another television which the children used to play Xbox games, and drove off with four Kare 4 Kids vehicles.

Thieves also broke into a storage cupboard and stole axes belonging to the scout group.

Company director Daniel Hargraves said: “Our main concern was ensuring that the kids were not unsettled by what had happened.

"It is really upsetting and frustrating because it is a building used by lots of children. These vehicles are obviously used for carrying children because there were booster seats in the back.

"The kids were asking 'where are all the cars?' but they miss the TV most.

"Some of them were obviously upset. We have done our best to reduce the impact."

Up to 60 children are cared for at the site at any one time, but there are more than 120 children on the company’s books.

The staff were notified by a resident in the area who had noticed that the vehicles had disappeared from the drive.

During the raid, offenders rifled through the office, where they found keys to four of the vehicles parked outside. Three Vauxhall Zafiras and one Hyundai Trajet, which are used to transport the children to and from schools across Bolton, were stolen. One of the vehicles has since been recovered.

A parent of one of the children who attends Kare 4 Kids said: “It is disgusting that they have burgled a children’s club. The staff and parents are all devastated, and it is also affecting the children.

“If anyone knows anything or sees the cars, please contact the police.”

17th Bolton Scout Group posted on Facebook on Monday: “Unfortunately the scout hut was broken into over the weekend.

“Kare 4 Kids vehicles and other articles have been taken.

“The scouts and K4K are both valuable assets to the community. If anyone has any information then please contact the police.”

Anyone with information should call police on 101.