A HANDYMAN has had hundreds of pounds worth of tools stolen just months after starting his own business.

Scott Plant, 43, from Brightlingsea, had all his tools, including a kitchen worktop router, a drill and a chop saw, taken from the site where he was working last week.

Two boxes filled with spanners, screwdrivers and other essential tools were also stolen.

He left the items there at the weekend and when he returned to the site, inMain Road, Harwich, on Monday, everything had gone.

He estimates the stolen items are worth about £600.

Mr Plant said: “There were just lots of bits I have collected over the past ten or 15 years.

“It affects everything. I’ve got to go and buy stuff, which is going to take a while.

“It’s going to take me a month, or maybe two.

“I can’t go out and spend hundreds of quid on tools.”

Three other people were also targeted and had a number of items taken, including generators.

Mr Plant believes about £4,000 of tools and equipment was taken in total.

Mr Plant set up his business in October after he lost his job.

He has always been in to DIY and has worked on a number of small projects, but decided to try to turn it into a career.

He said: “I’ve only just started. I don’t have a huge client base.

“This will affect my income which then affects everything else.

“It is just frustrating, but I’m not going to let it depress me because it’s only tools, but it is a financial burden.”

Anyone with information about the thefts or the stolen items should call Essex Police on 101.