After fuel theft, private education school was left without a minibus

The private school’s minibus was removed from the road because fuel thieves damaged the vehicle.

Staff at Applefields School in York said they were struggling to transport pupils with additional needs after the fuel tank was tampered with and one in three minibuses was out of action.

A Gofundme appeal launched to replace the vehicle has raised more than £2,000 so far.

The bus was used to take students on trips to places such as Scarborough.

They were also directed to activities such as cinema and ice skating on the bus.

Deputy headteacher Lydia Waites said students and staff were left “devastated” by the incident.

He added: “We have to pay taxi fares so our students can access the activities they go to on a weekly basis.”

The enrichment visits that the students were eagerly awaiting were canceled due to transportation difficulties.

The school hopes to raise £10,000 to purchase an accessible vehicle that meets the needs of its pupils.

Ms Waites added: “We were going on a residential trip recently and were going to use the bus to collect equipment and pick up one of our students who might need a few stops on the journey.

“It is important that we get the bus back so we can carry out all our other educational visits.”

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said the fuel theft occurred at the school overnight between Tuesday 19 November and Wednesday 20 November.

“The suspects took approximately £100 worth of fuel by puncturing the tank of a regulation 63 Fiat Ducato school minibus,” they said.

They added that investigations are ongoing.

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