PROPERTY owners are facing huge repair bills following a spate of lead thefts in the New Forest. Material worth thousands of pounds has been stripped from the roofs of large country houses and other buildings, some of which have flooded as a result.

Thieves cashing in on the rising scrap metal value of lead and copper have also struck in the Waterside area.

As reported in the Daily Echo, rain poured through the roof of Manor Infant School in Holbury, ruining books, carpets and children’s work, following the theft of lead worth £5,000.

The ancient All Saints Church in Fawley has recently been targeted for the third time this year. Other victims include the nearby Jubilee Hall.

Police say lead has also been stolen from buildings in Hythe, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst and Lymington.

Chief Inspector Gary Cooper said: “You can imagine the massive impact it has on premises such as schools and churches – the inconvenience and worry this causes is unacceptable.”

Councillor Goff Beck, the district council’s Cabinet member for crime and disorder, also spoke of the distress caused by gangs of thieves stripping roofs.

“Often the first sign of lead theft is when it rains and premises are flooded,”

said Cllr Beck.

“The cost to the victim is disproportionate to the value of the stolen lead.”