Burglars ransacked the office of a children’s charity last week leaving devastated staff having to pay for repairs out of donated money.

Volunteers at Epsom charity Meru, which designs and develops specialist equipment to aid disabled youngsters, spoke of their shock after they awoke on Saturday to find about £1,500 worth of damage.

Spokeswoman Laura Sparrow said all the staff were appalled at the callousness of the crime.

She said: “It is a real shame because the money will have to come from somewhere.

“It will mean that funds we would have spent making equipment for the kids will have to be used to repair the damage.”

Staff believe that the robbery took place on Friday night after a neighbouring business noticed a group of youths loitering near to the West Hill trading estate.

It appears that the thieves were disturbed by the building’s alarm as they only targeted the office at the front of the building.

They broke down a door and stole a laptop - but luckily left before entering the main warehouse where the more expensive equipment is kept.

It is a blow for the charity, which is struggling financially as it is due to lose a grant donated by Sutton hospital later this year.

Product development manager Peter Swann, who discovered the burglary said: “It is very disappointing that someone would want to break in and steal from a charity.

“They can’t have been too well organsied though as luckily they didn’t make off with too much equipment.”

Police were called and have taken fingerprints.

The charity is supported by Top Gear star Richard Hammond who recently paid a visit to the site.

Their latest fundraising scheme aims to raise £100,000 to manufacture 20 specialist wheelchairs which will be loaned to families free of charge.