AN angling coach spoke of his anger after £30,000 worth of equipment used to teach youngsters was stolen from a garage.

Michael Salisbury discovered the locks to the storage unit in Oxford Road, Rochford, had been broken when he arrived to pick up items from his collection.

The coach, who is also a teacher at the Greensward Academy, in Hockley, is hoping someone will come forward with information so he can be reunited with his equipment. He is currently unable to run a planned fishing programme for youngsters.

The 42-year-old, who lives in Shoebury High Street, said: “This is particularly frustrating as I use the equipment to teach young people in the area how to fish.

“I went to the garage on Friday and noticed the locks were smashed. I opened the door and all the fishing equipment had been taken.

“I asked the neighbours if they heard anything and they had heard a loud bang at around 10pm in the evening and saw a white van outside, but they didn’t call the police.”

The stolen equipment includes rods, reels, beds and chairs.

Mr Salisbury added: “There weren’t any other break-ins on the street, which makes me think they knew what they were looking for and unfortunately the equipment wasn’t insured because it was stored in a garage.

“I have received some offers of help to try replace some of the equipment but it is going to take a while to replace it all.

“I am supposed to be running a programme to help teach young people to fish but it is going to be difficult now without the equipment.

“It is just really disappointing. I use fishing with youngsters to help curb antisocial behaviour in the area and it really helps them learn to do something positive. I have helped students who were heading down the wrong track to turn their behaviour around and some of them have even gone on to get jobs in the fishing industry.

“The equipment can be identified as mine if we find it as it’s marked with a forensic DNA composition.”

The break-in took place between Wednesday, April 5 and Friday, April 7. Anyone with information can call police on 101.