Carp worth £40,000 taken in raid

Koi carp are highly prized by collectors

Burglars have taken about £40,000 worth of Japanese Koi carp from an aquatic centre in Nottinghamshire.

An estimated £10,000 of damage was also caused to a Japanese Water Garden in Stapleford during the break-in.

The thieves got into the store over a security fence on Monday night and took more than 30 of the fish.

Staff at the store said they were shocked not just at the damage but also the loss of a stock of animals which had taken years to build up.

Wendy Langford, from the centre, said: "We are just about holding it together at the moment.

"We know they are animals and we are a shop and are here to sell them and make money but we do care for them and are very concerned about the conditions they might be kept in.

"These are specialised fish and they require a lot of attention."