Volunteers at a north-east community centre have appealed for help after the building was trashed during a break-in.
The base at Crimond, which caters for a host of organisations including the village playgroup, has been damaged to the tune of several hundred pounds.
Committee member David Gibbons said volunteers would now have to raise enough money to replace broken doors and windows and change the locks.
And he said many toys had been damaged beyond repair.
“The people running the community centre will now have to raise more money to keep it open,” he said.
“As it stands there is nothing in the bank account to keep the centre open for the kids.”
Play leader Pauline Yeats revealed the centre’s bouncy castle was also missing.
“This incident has sickened me to the core. I am gutted to see how low people can stoop,” she said.
“Every group within the community centre has suffered big losses and damages.”
She added that she had been “overwhelmed by the kindness” already shown by the community in Crimond.
“Our playgroup has been inundated with offers of toys. We are totally overwhelmed,” she added.
The community centre has organised a sponsored walk this Sunday to raise funds to repair the damage done to the building.
Donations are also being accepted at the village post office.
Last night a spokeswoman for the police said a 32-year-old man has been charged in connection with the incident.
“It happened at around 5am on Saturday, July 11, at Crimond community centre,” she said.
“It was broken into, there was some damage to the building.”