DISTRAUGHT cadets were left without heating after thieves stole five gas bottles.

Staff who opened up the Maldon and District Sea Cadet Unit on Satur - day morning were shocked to find the front gates had been forced open.

Once inside they found the bottles, including their pipes, were missing. It meant a weekend of training for the bronze Duke of Edinburgh award was ruined.

Plans to go rowing and spend the night camping were cancelled, and cadets were forced to sleep in the hall as a parked van blocked the insecure entrance.

Janet Murphy, training officer at the unit in Park Drive, said: “We were absolutely devastated, there’s nothing worse than disappointed children.

“We don’t get any funding from an- ywhere in particular and we worked really hard to get this unit.

“The gas bottles themselves will cost more than £500 and then there are all the repairs on top.”

The site was later secured with a chain and padlock and a parade was held on Monday, although heating had not been restored.

Michelle Baker, a management committee member, said: “It’s such a shame, we didn’t have any security there during the day so we had to have a member of staff man the unit.

“We are in a terrible state, there was glass on the driveway where they had not managed to fit everything in the boot of their car.

“We need to consider CCTV but it’s not something we can afford easily.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “Police want to hear from anyone with information about a break in at the Maldon and District Sea Cadets unit between 11pm on Friday and 7.50am on Saturday morning.”

Call 101 with information.