A Kent town's Christmas Lights Association has been left stunned after £150,000 worth of festive lights were stolen.

Nine sets of 12ft-wide illuminations were discovered missing from their storage place behind Brittain and Hobbs, High Street, Sheerness, on Sunday.

They were placed in an alleyway between a garage and the store's back yard on January 9 after lighting up Broadway throughout the festive period.

Members of the Sheppey Christmas Lights Association were left stunned when they went to remove the sets to transfer them to another location.

To get to the alleyway, the thieves had to get through heavy metal security gates leading onto Clarence Row, gain access to a wire fence compound and break the padlock off a big wooden gate.

As an extra security measure, the lights had also been covered with brambles to hide them.

Association members in Sheerness say the theft of the 12-year-old lights, weighing around 80kg each, would have taken several men and a lorry.

Police have been conducting house-to-house inquiries in the area and are appealing for anyone with information to get in touch.

Association secretary and treasurer Sheila Smith said: "My husband Bill and I, along with our volunteers, have worked really hard to build up the lights and just when we were on the up, this has happened.

"We hope the community will rally round us with any financial help they can give so we can outdo the low life that spoil things for people."

Mrs Smith, who owns Rainbow Jewellers in the Broadway, added: "Because the lights were so big, we covered them with bramble to keep them out of sight.

"The thieves must have spent a lot of time removing all that vegetation in addition to the time taken to carrying the heavy lights off."

"At today's prices, we estimate it would cost £150,000 to replace the big lights, like for like. They have to be tailor made to precise measurements.

"Even the same ones would cost between £8,000 to £10,000 to replace."

Sets of smaller lights, which were kept under lock and key, were not stolen.

Brittain and Hobbs' manager Darren Caddell said: "It's a horrible thing to do to the town.

"There must have been quite a number of thieves involved to have removed them."

Inspector Alan Rogers, of the Island Neighbourhood Team, said: "I would appeal to the conscience of these offenders to return these lights and hand themselves in, as they are so large in volume they would be difficult to hide for long and would be instantly recognisable if used again.

"Police are now making inquiries as the actions of these offenders could really put a dampener on forthcoming Christmas festivities in Sheerness."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police in Sittingbourne on 01795 419182 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.