Thieves steal gala equipment from school after pupils spent years fundraising for it.

Organiser now has just three weeks to find replacements for missing items

Equipment meant for Scotland’s largest children’s gala has been stolen just three weeks before the big event.

Thieves ransacked a lock-up and made off with hundreds of pounds worth of items bought after years of fundraising by a local primary school.

Everything had been stored on a trailer that was stolen from Elgin Industrial Estate sometime during the last week.

The equipment, including a gazebo, groundsheets, tennis racquets and footballs, were Commercial Primary’s contribution to the century-old Dunfermline Children’s Gala, due to be held on June 24.

The annual event, which was at one time paid for by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, involves more than 3,000 primary school children who parade down the High Street to Pittencrieff Park for a picnic and entertainment.

Gillian Rodaks, who is in charge of coordinating Commercial’s gala entry, said the theft was a massive blow.

“It’s hundreds and hundreds of pounds worth,” she said.

“The gala is only three weeks away and all our stuff that we’ve bought over several years is gone.” She added: “It’s ridiculous. “The stuff wouldn’t be any good to anybody because I wrote Commercial Primary School all over everything.

“They’ve probably pinched it for the other stuff or for the trailer itself.”

Gillian, whose son Tyler is a primary four pupil at the school, is the sole organiser there for the gala.

“A lot of schools have a committee, but it’s just me at Commercial and now I’m stressed out,” she said.

Since the theft became public on a Facebook post, Gillian has been offered donations by a number of local people.

“I’m really grateful for the offers because this is a mammoth task,” she said.

The Children’s Gala draws more people to Dunfermline than any other event. Youngsters dress up to match a theme and are led through the town centre by a pipe band.

This year’s theme is children’s book characters.

The gala is only three weeks away and all our stuff that we’ve bought over several years is gone. GILLIAN RODAKS