A GENEROUS businessman has stepped forward to offer security to a village hall after it was broken into.

Rob Morgan, chairman of Tolleshunt D’Arcy Village Hall, was alerted to the raid by a footballer on his way to the recreation ground.

The front door to the village hall had been forced open and was badly damaged. The lock was smashed out of the door and found lying in the entrance foyer.

The post office uses one of the rooms and the internal door to the post office had been forcibly opened. A small amount of petty cash had been stolen.

Charles Clark, vice-chairman of the village hall and former Deputy Chief Constable of Essex Police, said: “The considerable damage, the fact that the 100-year-old hall had been violated by a wanton burglar or burglars for the first time in its existence, and the fact this is a further impact on the community after what they have been through with the Covid pandemic, makes this a despicable crime.”

The repairs have been estimated to cost about £500 at a time when the village is trying to raise £800,000 to build a new village hall.

After the break-in, businessman Alex Catasus Escriba, who owns HSG Security Company, contacted Rob and offered to repair the damage.

His message said: “I am gutted to see what has happened at the village hall.

“We have lived in the village for ten years and have used the hall for kids’ birthday parties and my boys have spent a lot of time at Toddlers in the hall.

“I run a security company and would be happy to donate an intruder alarm system to protect the hall. I will also donate the time to install it.”

Mr Clark said: “If anybody has any information about this horrible crime on our village hall, please let the police or one of the village hall trustees know.

“It is heartening to see the response from the community.

“The wonderful gesture by Mr Catasus Escriba is outstanding and just reflects the community spirit in Tolleshunt D’Arcy.

“As we move out of the pandemic and start serious fundraising for our new village hall, this horrible crime may be a catalyst for people to support our drive to accumulate substantial funding to build a new hall for the next 100 years for the community.”