EIGHTY devastated young Girl Guides and their leaders have been forced to cancel a camping trip after thieves stole 24 tents, a number of gas cookers, and two gazebos from their base.
The £5,000 of equipment was stolen from the Cleethorpes Division Guides base at St Francis' Church in Sandringham Road.
As a result, the 1st Cleethorpes and 2nd Humberston Guides have had to pull out of a regional Pre-Poacher camping trip to Nettleton this month.
Eight of the tents are "irreplaceable" because they were given to the Guides in celebration of the Scouts and Girl Guiding Centenary in 2010.
Cleethorpes Division Commissioner Allison Wood said: "I have been with the Guides for over 30 years and I have never seen anything like this – it's despicable.
"It isn't so much about the value – although we will never be able to replace them – but it is about the memories the girls created in these tents.
"Everything has been taken. All they left behind were the doormats."
They have been left with one tent, which was being kept elsewhere as it is broken.
The haul included:
Six blue very large 800 Vango eight-person tents.
Two blue 600 Vango six-person tents.
Eight blue 500 Vango five-person tents.
Eight unique bright orange Outwell Girl Guides Centenary 2010 four-person tents in blue carry cases.
A selection of wooden mallets.
Two cream and blue gazebos.
A selection of green two-ring gas cookers, some with splash backs.
Aluminium cables.
Allison said: "We are just so cross at what they have done, that they think they can just come in and take someone's things."
The Guides bought the equipment with an Awards For All Lottery grant and cannot afford to replace them.
The Centenary tents are bright orange Outwell tents with the Girl Guides 2010 logo on the side.
Alison continued: "We are Girl Guides and we stare in the face of adversity. We will roll up our sleeves and get on with it.
"Our only hope is there is some honesty left in this world and whoever is responsible returns them, or whoever buys them comes forward."
The Guides hope they will still make it to their International Poacher camp in July, but are hurt someone would steal from them.
Taylor Stewart, 11, said: "It is really upsetting. We were planning our trips and now we can't go. It is disgusting someone would steal from young children."
Hannah Stanley, 11, said: "I am shocked and disappointed. Whoever did it is very mean. We have lost everything."
Sarah Mullinger, 11, added: "I was looking forward to camping so much. You don't expect something like this to happen. I am horrified."
The theft was discovered on Wednesday night.
Anyone with information should contact Humberside Police on 101 and quote reference number AB/19729702013.
ON How can someone steal such a huge haul without being seen and from young children? Comment here or or email viewpoint@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk
