MINDLESS thieves have trashed a popular Kilwinning pub and stolen thousands of pounds after climbing through a 12-inch extractor fan to smash their way in.

Yobs broke into The Alton Inn in Byers Road after removing the extractor fan, which is on the exterior wall of the kitchen at the back of the building, before climbing through the tiny 12inch space to gain entry on the night of Sunday, May 15.

Once inside the thieves ripped out all the CCTV and security alarm system before taking a fire extinguisher from the wall and smashing the place up.

The brazen thieves then ransacked the bar, stealing up to £2,000 of the weekend takings from the til before smashing up the fruit machine and stealing up to £300 and making off with eight bottles of spirits.

Alan Bury who runs the Bridgend pub says he has been left devastated.

He said: “Honestly it’s unbelievable what they’ve done. They have wrecked the place.

“I could actually cry looking around. It’s just pure devastation.”

Alan’s daughter Alison owns the pub but was away on holiday at the time of the break-in.

He says although he doesn’t know who would target the pub, he thinks they weren’t acting alone.

He said: “They got in through the extractor fan in the kitchen. It’s unreal. They have actually ripped the fan out and then one of them - who has either been a child or a very, very small adult - has climbed through and got in to the kitchen.

“They’ve then got a fire extinguisher and smashed the back door open from the inside, I assume, to let the others in.

“Once they’ve all been inside they have just gone to town and wrecked the place.

“There is smashed glass everywhere.

“They’ve got the puggy and smashed the front of it wide open. It’s destroyed and they’ve taken everything that was inside. Then they’ve stolen six bottles of vodka and bottles of Bacardi and Morgan’s rum too. They’ve even taken my keys so I’m having to get the locks changed and get all new ones cut. It’s sickening.

“There’s also the price of getting the place repaired and cleaned up. This is going to hit us badly.”

A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “We can confirm that a break-in at the Alton Inn in Byres Road, Kilwinning on Sunday evening has been reported to us. We are investigating the incident and enquiries are ongoing.”

Anyone with information about the break-in should contact Irvine Police office on 101.