Thieves have stolen the council's air quality monitoring station which is essential in forming new environmentally-friendly policies in Richmond.

Deputy council leader Cllr Alexander Ehmann said "words fail me" about the crime.

The council reported it to the police and encouraged anyone with information to come forward.

Monitoring air quality in the borough takes place 24 hours a day and accurate data on pollution and air quality is important, as it helps feed into the borough's Air Quality Action plan and shape future policies and decision making.

The council owns two static units and a mobile monitoring unit which was stationed on a grass verge at the side of the A316 outside the new Richmond College Site.

At 1am on the Thursday, August 6 the unit stopped transmitting data and when officers visited the site, they found the unit - which was locked and alarmed - had gone. There were clear signs that the metal legs had been removed and the power had been cut.

A vital piece of kit

Cllr Ehmann who is also chair of the council's Transport and Air Quality Services Committee said: "This was a vital piece of equipment that was helping this borough monitor the impact of air quality appears to have been stolen. Words fail me.

"I urge those people who removed this trailer, to please return it. Anyone with information should also come forward to help the enquiries."

Anyone with any information about the missing unit is urged to contact the police by calling 101 and quote crime reference number 0708289-20.