THE Green Goddess Cwmbran Veterans are appealing for help after parts of their historic fire engine were stolen.

The group of ex-army veterans have raised more than £15,000 over the past couple of years for Help For Heroes using the engine, which is classed as a historic vehicle.

But last week, thieves broke into the garage which is on barracks premises on Ty Coch Way, Cwmbran and stole the pump.

Mike Saunders said: “It’s disgusting. They cut the security wire and took the sigma pump off the back. It was a working fire engine. It’s knocked us back. It’s heartbreaking.”

Mr Saunders, 70, who is also known as ‘commander’ Mike, owns the vehicle and leads a crew of six who make up the Green Goddess Veterans, the oldest of whom turns 80 this year.

He anticipates the thieves caused £1,000 worth of damage. The group are now desperately looking for spare parts to get the 61-year-old engine running again and have appealed to the South Wales Fire museum for help.

“We can’t use it now,” said Mr Saunders, “I’ve tried everywhere to get spare parts. We’re stuck.

“Anybody out there who has got some bits of a Green Goddess, we’d like to hear from them.”

The engine, which was originally designed for the nuclear fallout following the Second World War, is used for fundraising at various events and taken to schools for demonstrations.

“The children love going in there. But we can’t do any of it now until it’s fixed,” said Mr Saunders.

The military police and Gwent Police are now investigating and appealing for information. A spokeswoman said: “It was reported at 7.40pm on Wednesday but believed to have happened sometime since the day before. Various parts of a green goddess have been taken.”

If you can help, call 101 quoting log number 452 9/4/14 or if you know of any spare Green Goddess parts, call Mr Saunders on 01633 770748.