HEADLEY Scout Centre has been burgled for a second time and now faces having to pay out £2,000 for repairs, with a break-in last Thursday night following only a week after a previous burglary left the troop facing a £1,000 repair bill.

Again the thieves fled empty handed but left another trail of damage.

Scout Master Fraser Skirrow said: “There was no money to steal - we don’t keep money in our headquarters. They tried to break into the container at the back of the premises, but they don’t seem to have had the tools. If they had broken in, all they would have got were second-hand canvas tents.”

The intruders broke open the fire-escape door and then kicked in an office door, which had only been temporarily repaired because the frame, damaged last week, will have to be replaced.

Mr Skirrow said: “They went into the office but didn’t disturb anything, although if they had opened any of the cupboards they would have only found children’s colouring materials and old maps. How senseless are these guys as I thought if you carried out a burglary it was to steal something valuable? We don’t have anything of value.”

The planned activities for the 60-strong troop of Scouts, Cubs, Beavers, and Explorers on Sunday were cancelled. “We couldn’t go ahead with it as the police are still at the scene,” Mr Skirrow said.

“Headley Scouts is getting used to crime scenes.”