Dozens of elderly and disabled folk have been left stranded after vandals left their community minibus a write-off.

Now officials at Shipley's Kirkgate Community Centre have launched an urgent appeal for funds to get their transport service back on the road.

Vandals cut through a water pipe attached to the centre's blue 14-seater VW minibus while it was parked outside Shipley Pool, resulting in its engine burning out and the vehicle breaking down while it was being driven.

Centre manager Sue Thomas said the centre had already had to cancel one elderly day care session as there was no way of getting the people to the building on Kirkgate.

And she warned that, if they could not find a replacement vehicle soon, a number of groups using the day centre was likely to fold.

The minibus normally takes 100 people a week to and from the centre for a variety of events including day care sessions, a luncheon club and the Shipley and Baildon Blind Welfare Group's social meetings. Social club members are taken on outings in the vehicle, and it is also hired out to other organisations.

Mrs Thomas said: "A lot of our users are virtually housebound, and coming to the centre once a week is often their only chance to get out, so the minibus is a real life-line for them. What's happened is an absolute disgrace - the people who did it could easily have severed a brake or fuel pipe, which would have put lives at risk.

"We'll struggle on but a lot of the users rely on the minibus to get them here. If we don't replace, it numbers will drop and groups will eventually fold.''

Mrs Thomas added: "A new minibus with the wheelchair lift we need would be at least £24,000 and we just haven't got anywhere near that sort of money.

"But we'll be sending out letters to local businesses and would like to ask them to please help us - the minibus is very well used, we provide an important facility for a lot of people, and many of them are dependent on the bus to get here.''

Mrs Thomas said the loss of the minibus had also forced the centre to shelve its plans to start a new training scheme for community minibus drivers, funded through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Shipley and Baildon Blind Welfare Group committee member Vera Squires said: "A lot of our members are in their 80s and really look forward to the meetings - it helps to keep them going. If we had to fold they'd be absolutely devastated.''

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the incident was being investigated and asked anyone with information to ring 01535 617059.