Thieves have stolen expensive machinery from a non-profit children's farm in Kings Langley.

Between the hours of 8.30pm on Tuesday evening and 8.00am Wednesday morning, thieves gained access to the Langlebury Children's Farm barn by breaking through a lock.

Once the offenders gained access to the barn, they removed silver tarpaulin to reveal a orange Kubota G21 sit on mower, believed to be worth £10,000. 

The offenders then took the machine and left tyre tracks going across a neighbouring field. Damage was also caused to a number of gates on the farm during the incident.

Iain Burrowes, farm manager of Langleybury Children's Farm, said: "I'm annoyed that thieves chose to steal from a non-profit making charity, and came along and pinched our most expensive piece of machinery on the farm.

"We'll now lose money because the insurance won't cover the whole cost of replacing the machine - the cost of the machine has gone up since aquiring it."

Apart from farm manager Mr Burrowes, all the workers at the farm are volunteers. Every penny the farm makes goes towards improving and maintaining the farm, so they can offer the community a pleasant and enjoyable place to visit.

"Because of what's happened, the volunteers have done all their hard work for nothing. 

"We've just closed to the public, but our last event was our Halloween party, which happened last Saturday. It was a very successful event with 800 visitors, so this has brought a real downer on the proceedings."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Hertfordshire Constabulary via the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference C2-14-2318.