A CAMPAIGN to replace a nursery's minibus after it was stolen and torched has reached nearly £2,000 since yesterday.

The online page was launched by the team at Little Tots Nursery after thieves took their only source of transport last week.

Staff say they and pupils were left in shock when the van went missing as it is the key way of getting children to outdoor lessons at the Forest School in Winnersh from their Reading and Burghfield bases.

Without it the youngsters will be forced to miss many of their end of year celebrations and the weekly sessions that are "vital" to their development.

Karen Wynn, manager at the Burghfield site, said: "We were devastated because we are coming up to the end of the year and we do really big things with Forest School to celebrate before the summer.

"We have camp fires and games and the children are all going to have to go without that now and they just keeping why they can't go."

Last Wednesday morning nursery leaders arrived to find their 13-seater minibus had vanished from where it was stored in the car park behind St Mary's Church.

Shortly after police called to tell them it had been found burned almost beyond recognition near to Blackbushe Airport in Hampshire.

Karen added: "They haven't allowed us to see pictures of it because they said it would be too distressing.

In the wake of the theft staff say they has been an outpouring of support from parents and the wider community.

Although the van was insured it is unlikely they will receive enough money to replace like for like and cover the equipment that was stored inside.

Following suggestions from parents an online fundraising page was launched and Karen said they were delighted at how quickly donations were pouring in.

A spokesman for Hampshire Constabulary said they were called at around 8am last Wednesday to reports of an abandoned vehicle in Rotten Green Road, on the outskirts of Fleet.

He added: "It came in as a burned out can by the side of the road and when it was reported it was still smoking but not on fire.

"Somebody reported it looked like it had been dumped and burned out and this incident is being linked with a stolen van from Burghfield."

For more information or to donate towards the cause see online at crowdfunding.justgiving.com/littletotsminibus