THIEVES who stole expensive engines from two lifesaving boats have left water rescue volunteers "frustrated" and £20,000 out of pocket.

Volunteers from the South Worcestershire Lifesaving and Life Guard Club have been left devastated by Tuesday morning's theft from Sankey Marina, Evesham.

Despite being secured using bolts, the thieves have cut through the dory boats to remove their Suzuki engines and are thought to have taken them away in wheelbarrows.

The 40-year-old Pershore-based club will now have to wait until their insurers pay out before being able to replace the engines which could take between two to three months.

It has thrown their vital presence at waterside events and life saving training for young people into disarray as well as potentially leaving them out of pocket.

Fortunately, their sessions with children on Sunday at Pershore Leisure Centre have not been affected.

Adrian Mayhew, the club's vice chairman, fears that even if the insurers do pay out, there will be a shortfall of money which they will have to find to fix or replace the boats.

"We cannot guarantee that the insurance company will pay out and we never get the full funds.

"The last time we had to raise half the money ourselves.

"These boats have been real work horses for us in providing safety cover at events as well as providing key support in the community and unless we can get support from businesses we are going to be struggling.

"This theft will have a massive impact not only for the youngsters we train but also what we provide to the community and events we provide cover for."

Debbie Weston, club chairman, hopes that businesses may be able to step forward and offer financial help as well as offering somewhere else to store the boats.

"When you have put a lot into something to provide safety boats for events and lifesaving training for children for no commercial gain and someone comes along and does something like this - it is really frustrating.

"We offer the community a vast service from training children at the leisure centre to flood rescue so the theft will have a big impact.

"We need someone to store them out of sight and in a safe place and we would be really grateful if someone could offer that.

"Any help from local businesses would be fantastic."

The boats are used to train some of the 120 children under 16 who attend the club as well as 40 seniors who help at events including Pershore Water Festival and Evesham Regatta.

In the last two years, the club has had £30,000 worth of kit stolen after thieves also took the engine from another lifesaving boat.

All the equipment has been marked by Smart Water and was secured using specialist bolts which were cut through at some point between Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

Businesses that can help with funding or storage is asked to call Mrs Weston on 07775 771 450.

Anyone with information about the theft of the Suzuki four-stroke engines, one 40 horsepower and the other 50 horsepower, should contact police on 101 quoting reference number 120S100215.