THIRTY koi carp worth £2,000 have been stolen from a garden centre recovering from the loss of 100 tropical fish when its power was cut off by a fire.

Thieves got into Brambledown Garden Centre, Sheppey, on Sunday night and took the koi. Jo and Guy Wormald, who run the centre at Lower Road, had just managed to get electricity restored to the tanks after a fire ravaged the neighbouring Brambledown Farm Shop owned by her uncle, Edward Condon, on May 4.

Mrs Wormald, who reported the theft to police, said: "It's a real blow, but we have to keep going. We cannot give up now because it's our business. We had already lost bushes, shrubs and trees in the fire."

Anyone who saw anything suspicious is asked to ring Swale police on 01795 477055 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.