Managers of an arson-hit children's day care centre have issued a “please leave us alone” plea to those responsible.Offenders got into the toy-shed at the Fakenham centre, on part of the cricket ground off Field Lane, and set fire to items inside.

Managers of an arson-hit children's day care centre have issued a “please leave us alone” plea to those responsible.

Offenders got into the toy-shed at the Fakenham centre, on part of the cricket ground off Field Lane, and set fire to items inside. Damage to the equipment and the shed in the blaze, which happened at about 12.30am last Monday is estimated at around £500. Damage was also caused to the scoring shed on the cricket ground.

It is the second deliberate blaze at the centre in the past 18 months and the third incident to hit the complex which caters for 62 children each day and offers a child care service for 150 local families.

But last week centre manager Joanna Ryan said enough is enough and they are in despair.

“It is just mindless damage and soul-destroying for us. We just get over another incident and then they strike again. We urge those responsible to leave us alone because at the end of the day it is the children that suffer

through all of this,” said Mrs Ryan.

In an ironic twist, Mrs Ryan said that the felting had been taken off the shed roof and so some of the equipment had been wet and this probably saved the whole building going up and spreading nearby fencing and hedging.

PC Stephanie Armiger said : “This incident has upset the children considerably - the organisation is charity based and everything which was destroyed was either donated or bought through charity money raised.”

In August 2006 about £3,000 worth of equipment was destroyed when two equipment shed were burned down.

Shortly afterwards the centre was given replacement equipment by several generous donors and last summer the centre was given a glowing Ofsted report.

Anyone with information about the latest fire should contact PC Armiger at Fakenham police station on 0845 4564567 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.