SEA CADETS in Gravesend have to fork out £5,000 after the wheels on their minibus were stolen by heartless theives.

It is the second time this year the Gravesend and District Sea Cadets have been left stranded without their 17-seater van due to vandalism.

In March the six wheels were stolen while it was parked on the cadet site at North West Kent College, in Dering Way, Gravesend.

Four months on it has been targeted again in what appears to be a copycat attack, despite the installation of CCTV and strengthening to the fencing on the boundary with Chalk Evangelical Church.

Commanding officer of the unit, Lieutenant Commander Dick Thackery, said: "We have already used funds allocated for other projects to help pay for the previous damage and to improve security. "We now have to find around £5,000 to build a stronger fence in addition to vehicle repairs."

See this week's Gravesend Messenger for the full story.