A CARPENTER has told how thieves have “taken away his livelihood” after stealing tools worth almost £7,000 from his van.

Jack Pridmore, 25, from Pitsea, has been left “disheartened, devastated and worried about providing for his young family” after having a number of tools stolen from the work van he shares with his business partner Lee Paget, 25.

The tools are believed to have been taken in the early hours of Thursday morning, between 1.35am and 1.50am on Winifred Road.

READ MORE >> Pet python on the loose in Leigh as family launch desperate search to find it

Mr Pridmore said: “We went to go to work on Thursday, we started driving and the door light came on.

“So, Lee and I pulled over as we thought it was weird as all doors are normally shut and locked; this is when we discovered tolls were missing, they had taken everything.

“I am absolutely disheartened, devastated and gutted. The theft of tools as a self-employed worker is heart-breaking, our livelihood has been taken from us in minutes.

“It crushes your faith in humanity as it isn’t just money on the tools we have lost, which is around £6,000 to £7,000, but the work we have lost out on too.”

Some of the tools taken included impact drivers, combi drills, twist nail guns, brushless skill-saws, angle grinder, SDS drills, first fix nail guns, a single Makita charger, a number of Makita batteries, and a laser level.

Mr Pridmore has a young family, including a 16-month-old daughter, and is worried about the impact the theft has on her and his partner.

He said: “The impact is not just material, it is the emotional impact of having anything stolen, it leaves you with insecurities, the inability to sleep, anger, worry, and fear of failing to get back on our feet.

“Without income I can’t pay the mortgage, the bills, it then affects my young daughter and partner too.

“It is so hard raising a family, especially with an already increasing and high cost of living. My daughter is only 16 months, I want to make sure she has everything she needs, and then something like this happens.

“It is heart-shattering.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 101.