Caught on CCTV: Thieves steal £13,500 mini-digger from Telford's Exotic Zoo

Fences were torn down and gates smashed during the break-in, which happened overnight between Monday and Tuesday.

The equipment was being used to build a disabled-friendly path at the popular Priorslee zoo.

Images of the thieves were caught on the zoo's CCTV.

No animals were taken or harmed during the break-in, but the theft has left the zoo having to find the funds to pay for the rented digger, sparking a community effort to find the money.

So far nearly £2,500 has been raised overnight by supporters as part of a crowdfunding campaign.

Scott Adams, who runs the zoo, said: "I have never felt so helpless.

Demoralising

"We have been closed and trying so hard to make the zoo better. We have put all our money into laying disabled friendly paths around the whole zoo to be as inclusive as possible and just before we open we have been broken into.

"They stole a rented digger which has now put us in debt to £13,500 which we don’t have and possibly unable to finish with improvements in time with no plant machinery on site.

"It’s also so demoralising knowing this has happened at our zoo which my staff and volunteers work so hard to make amazing.

"The one thing I can make this situation better is then no animals were taken or harmed."

To support the cause click here.

Anybody with information about the stolen digger should call police on 101.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org