STAFF at a nursery today hit out at thieves who stole children's plants from window boxes just 24 hours after they had been potted.

Youngsters at the Rainbow Nursery, in Barley Bank Street, Darwen, returned after the bank holiday weekend to find their colourful selection of pansies had been ripped out of their containers, which had been hammered into the wall after other reports of plant thefts in the area.

About 25 children, aged between two and five, took time out of the classroom on Friday afternoon to plant the flowers but are now being told by staff they are going to have to do it all over again.

And staff have said the incident may mean an end to similar outdoor learning activities if the thefts continue.

Nursery owner Shirley Lee was devastated and said: "It's very sad for the children because they planted them to watch them grow and now they've gone. I can't believe it.

"They planted them on Friday and my husband came to water them on Saturday and they had gone.

"They must have been taken by an adult because there's no soil on the floor underneath or anything.

"They've neatly taken each plant out one by one. I can't credit it at all. It's obviously someone wanting them for their own garden.

"Some of the children have been asking where their plants have gone but you can't tell them they've been stolen. They don't understand. It's very upsetting really."

She added: "The money is not a problem to replace them but it is a sad fact that someone could steal them from a children's nursery.

"They were going to water them each day and watch them grow as part of their knowledge and understanding.

"We already have fish and we grow cress seeds and to have these stolen is terrible.

"I was going to put the window boxes on the floor but we decided to put them on the wall in case they got stolen. It is the fist time we have put plants outside as well. We normally just have them in the classroom.

"A lady across the road said she had her large conifer in a lovely pot stolen last week. It's a very sad situation but I'm going to persevere for the children's sake but if it keeps happening we will have to stop."