METAL thieves who targeted an Evesham primary school, stripping hundreds of pounds of lead from its roof, hung around afterwards to steal from a milkman.

Bengeworth First School was hit by the thieves last week. The lead, which has cost the school about £800 to replace with a substitute material, was removed from the older part of the school in King’s Road. But the offenders didn’t stop there, after stealing the metal they spotted a milkman doing his early morning rounds – and pinched pints of milk.

Headteacher David Braham said: “We discovered the lead had been removed.

We investigated and realised large parts of the roof had been removed.

“We investigated the CCTV and were able to see the thieves.

“The problem is they were well aware of the cameras and they were covered up.

There were two of them. We know they had a white van that they parked to the back of the school.”

Despite already having stolen the lead, the two thieves hung around after the theft to take two pints of milk from the float, before they left the scene.

“When they had finished they saw the milk man coming and waited and then came back for the two pints of milk,” said Mr Braham.

“We were very disappointed because a leak has occurred where they ripped the lead off.

“Fortunately, it was repaired on Friday, but if it had happened during half term it could have been a big problem.

It is the first time we have had any damage to the building in 22 years – local people hold the school in high esteem.”

West Mercia Police confirmed they had received reports of the stolen lead last Thursday and asked any witnesses to contact non emergency number 101.