THIEVES have targeted the West Somerset Railway (WSR), stealing equipment used to support its events.

A series of burglaries has seen the thefts of items from the steam railway, including electric cables, generators, and other, related equipment.

The items belong to the West Somerset Railway Association (WSRA) and are used to help put on its annual steam fayre and vintage vehicle rally in Norton Fitzwarren.

WSRA Cchairman Edward Martin said: “The fact that people would steal equipment from a charity such as the WSRA is hugely disappointing.

“Like all charities, and other organisations in the heritage and tourist markets, money is incredibly tight.

“We will now need to find additional money to replace these items, which are essential for us to deliver events such as the rally, which are enjoyed by thousands of people.

“At a time when we are also trying to fund the restoration of our steam locomotives and fleet of railway carriages for use on the West Somerset Railway, this is a major setback for us.”

Anybody with any information which might help to identify the people who carried out the thefts is asked to let the local police know.

They should call 101 and give the call handler the crime reference number 5226164953.

Or, people can in confidence contact the WSRA direct by calling on 01823 433856 or emailing to [email protected].

The WSRA was recently chosen by a Co-op member to receive £5,000 as part of its ‘member prizes’ draw.

The Co-op allows five members to win £500 for themselves and £5,000 for their chosen ‘local community fund’ cause until the end of the year.

The WSRA has been supporting the WSR since 1971 with all forms of volunteer activity, from fund-raising to working on the line and restoring carriages and locomotives

Its restored carriages and locomotives run on the heritage line.