Lythe School minibus stolen again - but head vows "we will not be beaten"

The Lythe School minibus which was stolen.

Callous thieves took the minibus from the school grounds at 9.30pm on Wednesday January 18.

The village school had only had the bus for two months, as it was a replacement for the previous one which had been stolen in March.

But the school has vowed not to be beaten.

Lythe School had its minibus stolen for the second time in less than a year.
picture: Google images — Lythe School had its minibus stolen for the second time in less than a year. picture: Google images

In a newsletter to parents, school head Lisa Armstrong said: “I am beyond angry and filled with disbelief at the actions of people who feel able to steal from children and disrupt the life of a primary school.

"But we have been uplifted by the way everyone has immediately rallied together, looking after each other and planning solutions.

"We are absolutely unbeaten and are already working to get back on the road.”

Senior teacher in charge Farrah Hutton said everyone was “shocked and gutted” when the theft was discovered.

“We had started getting up and running going to the library once a week and the beach, giving them learning opportunities outside the classroom again, and were just getting back into the swing of things.

"It ‘s frustrating as it makes trips out more complicated but we’re not going to give up.”

She said the youngsters at the school have already offered to help fundraise with cake sales.

Esk Moors Active has offered the school use of its bus in the meantime while generous donations have been received.

The school is also aiming to set up a Just Giving page to help raise the cash for a new bus.

On the night of the theft, CCTV cameras at the school showed four people wearing hoodies entering the grounds after staff had left.

They broke into the bus and drove in the direction of Middlesbrough.

The vehicle was seen on CCTV at Flatts Lane at around 11pm on the same night.

The white Peugeot Boxer has the registration HX67 BWF, with Lythe CEVC Primary School on both sides of it.

If you see anything unusual or suspicious, call police on 101, select option 2 and ask for PC 1605 Hayley Turner, quoting North Yorkshire Police reference number 12230010838.