A CWMBRAN community centre manager has credited staff for “pulling together” after around £5,000 worth of damage was caused in a burglary.

On Tuesday, October 4, a break-in happened at Cwmbran’s Centre for Young People (CCYP), forcing them to close the centre temporarily and leaving hundreds of youngsters left without a place to go.

Every Wednesday night, the centre provides a meal for a hundred youngsters and food parcels for forty of them but as a result of the burglary, the centre remained closed until Monday, October 10.

Since re-opening, manager Leigh Roland has vowed that the burglary will not deter the centre's mission of providing solace for youngsters across Torfaen.

“We work with 120 young people a day here and at our other Randomz social enterprise site but because we’re a charity all costs (from the burglary) we will have to make up,” he said.

The burglary saw all the draws in the office emptied, including a one with condoms for young people who want them and damage to a cupboards, windows and a door.

Project manager at CCYP, Joanne Phillis, added that thieves attempted to enter through a girl’s toilet window leaving smashed glass before eventually entering through the kitchen.

“The young people are very protective over the centre and it’s quite a shock that this has happened,” she said.

“There’s nowhere else like this here, this service is very much needed.”

Around 400 different young people visit the centre, which is open six days a week from 8am – 9.30pm every week.

The centre also planning to launch its annual Christmas appeal which involves appealing to the community to buy presents for children which are then distributed from the centre on Christmas Day.

Mr Roland said: “Before you make that split second decision to commit a crime think about the consequences of the people who need the community facility.

“These are your neighbours and friends and by committing a crime like this, you are taking these facilities away from them."

“Both the staff and the community pulled together through this and it just shows that criminal activity doesn’t stop good work," he added.

A Gwent Police spokeswoman said: “A break in at Cwmbran Centre for Young People on Glyndwr Road was reported to us on Wednesday October 5.

“Three local boys, aged 12, 13 and 16, were arrested and charged with burglary and will be appearing at Cwmbran Youth Court on October 18."

To register an interest in donating to the centre's work, email david@cwmbran.gov.uk