POLICE are investigating after thieves caused hundreds of pounds damage in a break in at a secure storeroom on Bradford allotments.

Committee members at Queen's Road B allotments are now asking Council chiefs why they have not been provided with security fencing - eight years after being told funding was approved.

The burglary was discovered by allotments secretary Robert Whitehead yesterday morning.

Site supervisor Jeremy Brereton said nothing appeared to have been taken but damage had been caused which he estimated would cost hundreds of pounds to repair.

He said: "The burglars have forced the metal shutters, which are four to five millimetres thick, covering the windows, slid the window open and climbed in. They have also cut the bolt from the door and chopped through the chain securing the generator and moved that. They piled other stuff with it, like rotavators, in the middle of the storeroom, but they don't appear to have stolen anything."

But the storeroom, which is a former shipping container, has been left insecure.

Mr Brereton said locks on five or six individual allotments had been broken, along with the lock on the entrance gate.

"They must have used bolt-cutters," he said. "They had emptied all the manure out of my trailer, but not stolen the trailer. It's all very odd."

Mr Brereton claimed the allotments were one of the few in the district not to have had large security fencing provided.

He added: "Bradford Council owns the site and is responsible for repairs. We rent the site. We had a letter in 2007 from the Council saying they had secured funding for fencing but it never went ahead. It is a bone of contention."

He said there were nearly 50 allotment holders on the site.

Mr Brereton went on: "We had a burglary in 2012 when a lot of stuff was stolen. Since then we have had break ins on individual allotments. People have even dug up carrots and pinched tomatoes.

"It's sickening. This is a hobby, a pastime and a pleasure and we spend many hours working on the allotments, just for somebody to do this."

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed the break in at the allotments had been reported to them and inquiries were ongoing.

He said anyone who had seen any suspicious activity should contact Bradford District Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Bradford Council was not able to provide a comment last night.