STAFF at a Horwich primary school are devastated after burglars stole more than £10,000 worth of computers in two break-ins within the space of a week.

Thieves took 27 iPad minis from Horwich Parish Church Primary School and a further 15 laptops just days later.

Headteacher Alan Beedie said: "It is somebody who knows exactly where to look, which makes it worrying.

"The iPads are all quite new, we didn't publicise the fact that we had got them because we were concerned about something like this happening.

"We have managed to build them up over the past few months, so that we had enough for a whole class to use them, which obviously we can't do anymore and we are in a bit of a mess.

"The children are a bit bemused by the whole thing. They can't work out why somebody would want to do that, it doesn't compute in their minds at all. It is a bit upsetting to be honest."

The first incident involving the theft of the iPads took place on the night of Sunday, April 12, when they wrenched the security bars from a window to gain entry.

Four days later, thieves smashed a window to gain access and used pliers to cut a large hole in the fence to escape.

The school is now considering installing CCTV and is in the process of placing more bars on windows in a bid to improve security.

The school was broken into about six months ago, when a laptop and a camera was stolen, but Mr Beedie said this was the worst incident he had come across.

He added: "That break-in was more opportunistic as they were next to a window, but this one is more worrying as it it seems to have been targeted."

All of the iPads were in black and red plastic branded Tkoofn cases, and police have been given the serial numbers for the Acer Travelmate laptops.

Police are investigating the incidents, and officers said that there have been increased patrols around the school.

On the GMP Bolton North Facebook page, officers said: "For all those concerned in relation to the recent school breaks in Horwich, we have increased patrols in the area, day and night."