Thieves broke into a school’s PE store and stole all 40 of their footballs, netballs, basketballs and rugby balls.

The raiders smashed their way into the store at Little Bowden Primary School in Market Harborough over the summer holidays.

The staff at the school in Scotland Road noticed the break-in when they returned from the summer holiday yesterday.

Deputy headteacher Hayley Brown said: “It’s pretty nasty to take all the balls that we use for PE with the children.

“I’m not sure how many of them there were or how they carried the balls away but it’s not a very nice thing to do.”

Ms Brown said the caretaker noticed the door of the PE shed was off its hinges but just fixed it back on.

“That happened during the summer holiday and we only opened the store up when term started this week.

“It was only then that we realised all of our balls had been stolen.”

Since news of the balls theft broke, the school has been inundated with offers of replacement balls.

“The response from the community in the town has been amazing,” said Ms Brown. “We have had calls from lots and lots of organisations.

“The Lutterworth Leisure Centre, the Market Harborough Netball League, the Borough Alliance Football Club and the Brooke House College Football Academy have been in touch to offer us balls.

“We have put a donation box out for parents at the school and they have been very generous too.

“It was an awful thing to happen but the local response has been heartwarming.”

The school did not report the break-in to the police.