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A new therapy centre is currently being built at Expanse Learning on Tyrer Avenue, Worsley Mesnes, but since work began on January 22 it has been raided no fewer than five times.

Some £6,000 worth of materials have been snatched, £10,000 in damages caused and now the developer and school are splashing out thousands more on toughening security, including the installation of CCTV which has caught some of the intruders on film.

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From left, Ed Hanley, headteacher at Expanse Learning, Wigan, for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, pictured with Chris Parr, director of Eco Home Space, who are building a therapy centre on the school site, which is being targeted by thieves multiple times.

The costs of the £55,000 project are, understandably, beginning to spiral and appeals are being made to bring those responsible for the crimes to justice.

The improvements are being carried out by Wigan-based firm Eco Home Space which specialises in building classrooms.

Boss Chris Parr said: “Everyone is very, very upset by what is going on. Here we have a project that intends to benefit special needs children and give them more space, and it is being repeatedly undermined by this criminal behaviour.

"We were only two days into the work on January 24 when the first incident happened and loose materials were stolen. We cleared things away to make sure there wasn't a repeat, but they came back and on January 30 and 31, then February 1 and 2, they were unscrewing and stealing expansive cladding and stealing insulation. We’ve had to board up inside to stop them getting at electrical wires too. They have snapped the doors and broken into the building.

The therapy centre has been stripped of building materials five times already, causing costs to spiral

"These aren’t children doing this – they look to be in their 20s and the CCTV we have had to install shows that they come over the school fence.

"We are tightening security further but of course that comes at a cost and this project is becoming increasingly expensive.”

Richard King, director of pre-16 programmes at Expanse Learning, said: “The staff and students at Expanse Learning Wigan School wish to condemn the vandalism and theft that is preventing us from finishing a much-needed therapy centre for children with special educational needs on our Tyrer Avenue site in Worsley Mesnes.

"Throughout the last two weeks we have been repeatedly targeted by criminals and vandals who have, so far, stolen £6,000 worth of materials and done £10,000 worth of damage.

One of the intruders inside the new Expanse Learning building

"We have had to spend another £2,500 just to secure the site with costs spiralling daily, we may not be able to finish the site if the attacks do not stop.

"We urgently need to get the therapy centre finished and put to good use in supporting the children who need it the most, these attacks have delayed completion of the building by at least another month and have caused all the team at Expanse and EcoHomespace a great deal of distress and harm.

"We'd like to thank and acknowledge the continued efforts and patience of James, Chris and all the team at Eco Home Space in dealing with the aftermath, alongside the police for their speedy responses when called, and the local community with their offers of support and good wishes either in person or via social media.

"We would ask that if anyone has any information about the individuals who are targeting our site night after night then please do get in touch at [email protected] or contact the police directly.

Police can be contacted on 101. Alternatively ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Despair: scavengers caught on camera plundering and vandalising a Wigan school's new extension FIVE TIMES in a fortnight