STAFF at a popular centre that allows children and adults to experience the great outdoors have been left devastated after equipment worth thousands of pounds was stolen.

Chainsaws, strimmers, generators and diesel were among the items taken during a burglary at The Hill End Centre near Farmoor – and centre staff are appealing for donations to replace the equipment.

Lesley Williams, chairwoman of the Friends of Hill End Group, said: “We are absolutely devastated. It all came from previous grants and quite a lot of work had to gone into accumulating the stock.

“It’s all the equipment the staff and volunteers use both for general upkeep and learning courses.”

The county council-owned centre, off Eynsham Road, is used by many schools for outdoor lessons about nature.

Adult courses are also held at the 65-acre site as well as first aid courses and family days.

Mrs Williams said the break-in, which took place on Friday night last week[aug14] would have a major impact on the centre’s activities.

She said: “The equipment is used constantly.

"We have a group from learning disability charity Mencap coming in for three weeks soon and the upkeep of the site is being held up. At the moment, they won’t be able to use anything.”

Land manager David Millin added: “I live on site and stuck my head out on Saturday morning and saw the garages ripped up. The lights were on and everything was bare. It’s taken several years to accrue a decent level of equipment and we have done it through donations and grants.”

The Hill End estate was bought by the mining entrepreneur and would-be philanthropist Raymond Ffennell in 1920.

Mr Ffennell believed children should engage with nature and set up a project in outdoor learning, with dormitories and classrooms, which he offered to local schools to use in the 1930s.

Mr Millin appealed for cash donations to help buy replacements so that scheduled courses and school visits could go ahead as planned.

He said: “We are stuffed for September without them. We have courses ready to run.

If people could donate what they can we will aim to buy at least some new strimmers that we can use, we would be very grateful.”

It is thought the burglary took place between 11pm on Friday August 14 and 9am the following day.

Anyone with information should contact the police via the enquiry centre on 101.