THIEVES have stolen thousands of pounds in Christmas bonuses from a Sheppey company.

Intruders took a safe containing the money and personal documents from Island Scaffolding at Lower Road, Minster.

Police say the safe was loaded onto a red Nissan pick-up truck which was also stolen in the burglary between 1 and 2am on Thursday.

The documents belonged to Brian Herron, the firm's managing director, and his family. They included passports, birth certificates and documents about Mr Herron's family history.

Mr Herron, who did not want to reveal the exact amount of cash kept in the safe, said: "I had Christmas bonuses for our staff. Now it's gone, but we will struggle through and survive."

The firm, which employs about a dozen staff, was last burgled 12 years ago when intruders went to Mr Herron's home at Minster and took the keys to the business after hitting the family dog over the head. They stole cash from his premises which were then at Blue Town, Sheerness.