A SCHOOL for children with learning difficulties has been left to pick up the pieces after its mini bus was vandalised.

Staff at Broadfield Specialist School in Oswaldtwistle discovered thieves had stolen parts from their Ford Tourneo on overnight on Wednesday.

Beverley Bury, from the school's extended services team, said the bonnet, indicators and the front lights had been stolen from their dark blue eight-seater mini bus.

She said the vehicle is no longer operational and a day visit to Southport tomorrow has now been cancelled.

She said: "Our Ford Tourneo was used every day by our students to access the community.

"The caretaker found it without the bonnet and other items missing.

"We've had to cancel a trip out and it has left students in tears."

The Fielding Lane school caters for students with generic learning difficulties aged between 11 and 19.

Mrs Bury said the mini bus was used to take children out to supermarkets, hydrotherapy appointments, trips, educational visits and a Saturday club.

She said: "Most of our students don't get the chance for real-life opportunities.

"This also has a knock on effect for our autism spectrum disorder students when outings get changed or cancelled.

"Parents are also affected when students get home and are stressed due to changes to their day, such as not being able to take part in their trips out of school."

The school was targeted by thieves in February 2017 after an £18,000 Ford Transit was stolen from the school grounds.

Diane Heap, the school's office compliance manager, said: "We have rang the police who are due to speak to us today.

"We have CCTV which shows a car pull up near the school and you can see torches.

"We believe they hoped over the wall to get in.

"I just don't know why you would target a school knowing the children are the ones who will suffer as a result."

Evans Halshaw Ford in Blackburn has come forward and offered the school a replacement minibus free of charge while they get back on their feet.

Jordan Marsden, a sales executive at the company in Whitebirk Drive, said: "We saw the Lancashire Telegraph's story and we really wanted to help.

"We are going to lend the minibus free of charge and sort out their insurance so they can carry on doing what they are doing.

"We want to try and help the school in anyway we can."

Mrs Heap said: "If anyone sees the bonnet, which does have our logo on, to call the police."