Nursery children devastated by Christmas lights theft

The nursery’s entire collection of external Christmas lights, including large, freestanding snowmen, reindeer and a lifesize Father Christmas as well as wall-mounted decorations that covered more than 35 metres of the building were stolen some time after 9pm on Sunday night, an impressive display that had taken the nursery more than eight years to assemble.
The thieves forced entry onto the premises, on Rectory Road, by ripping a gate from its hinges.
Nursery manager, Lesley Thompson described the theft as sickening. She said: “All the children are saying ‘Where are they? Where are they?’
“What low-life would do this? They know it’s a children’s nursery.”
She added that the thieves have taken with them some of the festive cheer, with the nursery holding its annual ‘winter wonderland walk’ and carol service on Friday.
“It’s the start of our Christmas,” she said. “The lights are a big part of it.”
One concerned parent, Nicola Marrin, who has two children that attend the nursery, also expressed her outrage.
“Obviously there are worse things going on in the world, but to do that to a children’s group is just unbelievable,” said Mrs Marrin, adding the incident was like a “slap in the face” for nursery staff who had spent hours arranging the lights for the children.
“They make the nursery look absolutely beautiful. What’s the matter with people?”
Thames Valley Police is urging anyone who may have information about the incident to contact them on non-emergency number 101.