A CHARITY run for young people in Rochdale has had to pay out thousands of pounds after being repeatedly targeted by lead thieves.

The Drake Street-based Rochdale Connections Trust has been subject to a spate of attacks in the last 12 months.

After the first attack the roof repairs cost £3,000. Now the Trust has had to submit an insurance claim of £20,000 after thieves ripped away the front section of the roof in an attempt to remove what bit of lead was left.

Staff at Connections, who work to mentor young people and improve their prospects, first realised the roof had again been damaged when the ceiling tiles in the upper offices began to bulge in the summer storms.

When the ceiling tiles eventually gave way water poured through the roof, flooding the second floor offices and teaching room.

As part of its work, the Trust reintegrates young people with drug, alcohol and mental health problems back into education, training or work.

But 10 computers were damaged in the flood, so the youths who are being helped have been banned from using the computer room as it was too dangerous and have been prevented from writing CVs and searching for jobs.

Connections admin assistant Delphi Dean said: "The water found its way everywhere, the roof could have been damaged for weeks before the water came through the ceiling. I don’t think there is any lead left to take from the roof now.

"The cost of the repairs are just too much this time for us to pay ourselves, so we have had to claim on the insurance.

"We’ll have to replace all the computers that were damaged and the room has just been too dangerous for the young people to use.

"Hopefully, the thieves will now leave the roof alone."

And it’s not just Rochdale Connections which has been targeted by lead thieves. Homes, schools and businesses across Rochdale have been hit.

Police Inspector James Trosis said: "There has been a downward trend in lead thefts over the past months, which is partly due to the drop in the price of lead.

"Lead theft is an easy offence to commit as lead is exposed and accessible.

"The police have been leafleting and working with partners, including community safety officers, CCTV and local scrapyards to tackle the problem."