Bridport Medical Centre has again been targeted by thieves with more diesel being stolen.

A heavy duty lock was broken and more than half the fuel, used for the generator that heats the marquee during Covid vaccine clinics, was taken.

This follows the theft of a heat pump and fuel, also from the marquee, on March 17, just before the vaccination clinic for the over 80s to have their second vaccines.

The most recent theft meant that members of staff had to spend a lot of time during yesterday's vaccination clinic to try and find a solution.

A spokesman for Bridport Medical Centre said: "This is a huge amount of diesel.

"We've had to spend time, during the Covid clinic, working out a plan to carry on the clinics without relying on the generator - thank you to Peter, Nic and Brett Ashworth.

"This will cost the PCN (Primary Care Network); we will need to adapt our internal power supply - thank you to R Stephenson's for taking time to plan today - to be able to support the heaters, of which there will now be fewer. This at a time when we move again into the clinically extremely vulnerable cohort.

"Sad news. On a positive note, the clinic went extremely well."

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "A further report was received that fuel had been taken from a tank at the location between 8pm on Tuesday, March 23 and 7am on Wednesday, March 24.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email [email protected] or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55210046625.

"Alternatively, to stay 100 per cent anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or call Freephone 0800 555 111."