A GANG of teenage yobs broke into a Royal British Legion club and caused more than £1,000 damage.

Three burglars smashed their way through two sets of doors at the club in Barfield Road, West Mersea.

The raid happened at about 2.15am on Tuesday and was caught on CCTV.

Club manager Claire Clarke said: “I got a call from our cleaner in the morning and came straight in.

“We have them on CCTV breaking in and we will find who did this.”

After forcing a door at the side, the yobs then smashed through the glass of internal doors to get into one bar and then climbed into another.

Ms Clarke said: “There were three lads, aged from about 16.

“They tried all the outside doors before breaking their way in and getting into the office.

“They took money out of the machines after smashing them to pieces.”

The money containers from the machines were discovered in a nearby field.

The burglary has angered the community, particularly because the club runs as a charity for the Royal British Legion, which raises money to help servicemen and women.

Ms Clarke said: “They probably got less than £100 and caused more than £1,000 damage.

“The fact is this is somewhere for people from the community to come.

“The people are members from the community and part of the legion.

“We are a charity and for them to do this to the Royal British Legion, it makes them the lowest of the low.”

A police spokesman said: “They forced side doors and internal doors beforeamessy search.

“Fruit machines were smashed and officers are investigating.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Colchester police on 101.