Children arrived at school to find their play area vandalised and equipment stolen.

Youngsters attending Shepherds Hill Pre-school, based at Windale First School, in Windale Avenue, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, were upset to find their play garden ruined by vandals.

A canoe worth about £100 that was used by the children to play in was taken from the garden and a gazebo used by the children to play under was broken.

Pre-school manager Jo Rooney said: "We have spent a lot of money on the garden to make it a nice environment for the children. Why do it? It's just really terrible, the children were very upset.

"To get over the fence they were obviously adults or older youths.

"What worries me is that they know what is in the garden now and they will come back and take more things.

"I think they were trying to steal the gazebo by trying to drag it away but it didn't work and so it got completely wrecked."

Maureen Thompson, headteacher at the Windale First School, said: "We were devastated. The whole community has supported development of Shepherds Hill Pre-school.

"We had a really lovely opening and everybody in the school community has worked hard to make things work for the Pre-school.

"Then you have people like this come along and undermine the community spirit. It is very frustrating.

"We spend a lot of time building up children to have a responsible ethos and in one foul swoop somebody comes along and has such an impact on it.

"The gazebo enabled the children to play outside in all weathers and they loved playing in that canoe.

"It's just unnecessary. It's mindless violence and vandalism, the whole school feels pretty angry and upset and disillusioned. It is devastating."

The damage was discovered when staff and children arrived for school on Friday morning and police are now appealing for information.

Victoria Bartlett, spokesman for Thames Valley Police, said: "The gazebo is an important area for the school children to play in.

"We urge anybody who witnessed this act of mindless vandalism, or who knows the whereabouts of the canoe, to contact the police."

Anyone with any information should call the police on 0845 8505505 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.