A crime-hit children's nursery in Keighley has vowed to carry on after thieves broke in at the weekend and left a sickening trail of destruction.

Staff at Keighley Kiddicare, in Barlow Road, arrived on Monday morning to discover the property had been ransacked by raiders, who stole five computers including Time and Apple Mac machines, a Playstation, CD player, television and video.

They also smashed through internal doors and broke items of office equipment at the 40-place day nursery, which also operates an after school club.

Co-ordinator Bryan Walkeden estimates the cost of the damage and thefts to be in the region of £10-12,000.

He said: "When we arrived on Monday morning the place was in chaos, and it was obvious they had been through every room.

"We've had a spate of burglaries and vandalism over the last two to three years but this is the worst case yet.

"Over the last three years the cost of our insurance has doubled to the point where it is now in excess of £3,000 a year.

"The computer equipment can be replaced, it's the work that's on it that can't."

Maureen Spencer, vice chairman of the management committee, said: "At the end of the day fees have to be increased to cover the costs.

"We are a not for profit charity, primarily set up to help lone parents back into employment, but if it becomes unaffordable child care it defeats the whole object.

"Some of the rooms will be unusable and we will struggle without the computers, some of which were used by children, and others that have information including staff rotas."

The nursery, which has been based in Barlow Road since 1981, has had a new minibus torched and a garden shed demolished recently.

Staff also say that syringes discarded by drug users are often left lying in the nursery's grounds.

It is believed the burglars gained access via a first floor window to the rear of the property on Belgrave Road and exited the property by a ground floor door, which had its window and grille smashed.

Anyone with information about the incident, which took place between 5.30pm on Friday and 7.20am on Monday, is asked to contact Keighley CID on 01535 617083 or Keighley police help desk on 01535 617059.

The nursery is also appealing for local businesses to donate any unwanted computer equipment. Anyone who can help out should contact Bryan Walkeden on 01535 664055.