Nearly £50,000 raised for railway enthusiasts whose show was trashed by vandals

A fundraiser in support of model railway enthusiasts whose exhibition was destroyed by vandals has attracted a deluge of donations approaching £50,000 in less than 24 hours.

Members of Market Deeping Model Railway Club were horrified on Saturday to find the school where they were due to hold their 12th annual show had been broken into.

Organisers found painstakingly built models - some in the planning for "years" - strewn across the floor, broken into pieces amid upturned tables and scenes of "devastation".

Some of the items lost in the act of vandalism at Welland Academy in Stamford, Lincolnshire, are thought to be irreplaceable while others will cost thousands of pounds to rebuild or replace.

"We were all immensely upset to discover that overnight the school where our show was to be held had been broken into and almost everything totally ruined," the club said on its website as it cancelled Sunday's exhibition.

Club secretary Brian Norris set a fundraising goal on JustGiving at £500, explaining that "some of the models destroyed were irreplaceable ... we will of course be seeking to replace and rebuild wherever possible, [but] this will take time and money".

The modest target was swiftly exceeded as sympathetic well-wishers flooded the page with contributions and heartwarming messages of support.

Donors expressed their sadness that "hooligans" could spoil the simple pleasure taken by railway enthusiasts building models for display to the public.

One supporter wrote: "It doesn’t just involve building of layouts but research into transportation and exchange of knowledge ... These gentlemen have devoted years to documenting and cataloguing this history for future generations.

"And to have their generosity of sharing their knowledge and work with the public destroyed by ignorance and wanton destruction boggles the mind."

Another punned optimistically: "Hopefully soon you'll be back on track."

Police said four youths had been arrested on suspicion of burglary and criminal damage.

Lincolnshire Police said on Sunday: "On arrival at the school we arrested four youths, who were on the premises, for burglary and criminal damage.

"We are continuing our investigation and confirm damage was done to model railway exhibits which had been set up in the school for a display today [Sunday]."

The youths were released on Saturday evening on conditional bail pending further inquiries.