AN Eastleigh charity has been left reeling by the cruel theft of £16,000 worth of laptops used to train people with mental health problems.

Thieves took the Samsung P10 computers from the back seat of IT tutor Debbie Blake's locked Hyundai car while it was parked in Clarence Street car park, Portsmouth.

Eastleigh and District Mind, which is the chosen charity of Mayor Glynn Davies-Dear, bought the expensive equipment last year after winning a long-fought grant application to launch its Wireless Outreach Network.

Tutors use the wireless computers in psychiatric wards and day hospitals where patients who cannot travel to training centres can learn how to use the Internet and other software.

But now the scheme has been stopped in its tracks because insurers have refused to pay for replacements - even though the charity shelled out for the most expensive "all risks" cover available.

The chairman of Eastleigh and District Mind, Glenda Philpott-Kimber, said the computers were funded by the Learning and Skills Council.

She said: "Of course this has been very traumatic for not only the tutor involved in the robbery but for the whole organisation and has affected our ability to provide services to the community groups that use our Wireless Outreach Network."

Marisa McClelland, general manager of the Barton Park Industrial Estate based charity, said: "More than 150 learners have accessed our training since the project started last year and it's had a really positive impact.

"It's a vital resource that's been lost to us and more importantly to the service users that have been using it."

But she promised the charity would not be beaten by the theft, saying: "It's not the kind of thing that's going to stop us doing what we do. It was very unfortunate but we've just got to keep going."

Councillor Glynn Davies-Dear said: "I'm terribly saddened by what has happened. I hope that the thief did not realise he was stealing from a charity which might not be able to claim this loss on its insurance.

"But the fact is through this crime people in Eastleigh who need the help of Eastleigh and District Mind may find that their helpers are financially crippled. This is a sad day for all of us."

Anyone with any information on the crime carried out at 5pm last Thursday is urged to contact PC Cole at Portsmouth Central police on 0845 045 4545.