An historic community club has been left with thousands of pounds worth of damage after it was ransacked by burglars.

Crooks are believed to have used crowbars and sledgehammers to break into the Royal British Legion club in The Causeway, Halstead, overnight.

They searched the bar, office and storage room during a 12-minute period before leaving the building empty-handed.

Police arrived at the scene just as the raiders were escaping but following a brief chase, officers lost the fleeing crooks, whose car was heading in the direction of Braintree.

Steve Arundell, a member of the Halstead Royal British Legion executive committee, estimates the damage caused during the raid will cost at least £3,000 to repair.

He said: “Some of us are very angry and cannot believe how anyone can break into a community club like this and do what they have done.

“There are a few people on the executive committee who have put a lot of time and effort into this place and its like a second home to them.

“This is just mindless violence and there are a lot of disappointed members.”

As well as the cost of replacing the damaged doors and two tills which were smashed during the raid, the legion also missed out on a day of trading on Sunday and had to turn visitors away.

Mr Arundell added: “We don’t leave cash in the Legion overnight so they didn’t get away with anything.

“But we missed out on a whole day of serving customers over the bank holiday weekend.

“It’s a blow for us but also for Halstead because we were turning people visiting the antiques centre away.

“What must they think when they are told the town’s Royal British Legion has been broken into?”

Essex Police has launched an investigation into the break-in, which is thought to have taken place sometime around 4am on Sunday, August 26.

A spokesman said: “We were contacted shortly after 4am on Sunday, August 26 with reports of a burglary at the Royal British Legion in The Causeway, Halstead.

“Tills were forced open and the building had been searched.

“A car was seen leaving the premises at the time and attempts were made to find it.

“Inquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact the police on 101 quoting crime reference number 42/123463/18.