THE theft of thousands of pounds of workmen's tools has hampered work on the new Wilkinson store on Clifton Triangle.

Contractors Barlows are transforming the former home of Borders into the household shop affectionately known as Wilkos.

But in the early hours of Tuesday, burglars sawed the sides off strong boxes and metal cages to take tools belonging to electricians and plasterers worth about £48,000.

Some of the self-employed electricians and ceiling fixers spent years building up their essential collections and have had to return home because they can no longer carry out their work.

In total, 25 to 40 workers are on site, working long hours to ensure the store is open on time on August 4.

Site manager Simon Turley said: "We have seen the CCTV from Sainsbury's next door and there appears to be a dark figure in the loading bay at about 2am.

"It looks like whoever did it got in somehow and used a supermarket trolley to take away the tools.

"When I arrived at 6.15am the fire door was left open.

"I phoned the police first thing, they gave me a crime number and that was it.

"They didn't even come out all day. I was mortified they didn't even turn up.

"A lot of these guys are sub-contracted in and they rely on their tools for their livelihoods. Without their tools they can't work.

"Some of the lads have come down from as far as Sheffield for this job."

Barlows have been on site since the beginning of May.

Mr Turley said it was not the first theft, with a hard hat, high visibility jacket and fleece going missing previously.

Work is continuing, with people buying and borrowing tools.

But Mr Turley added: "It's not just a case of buying a new set of tools.

"These are a lifetime of tools and have been built up over years and years."

Yesterday, scenes of crime officers attended to dust for fingerprints.

Avon and Somerset police spokesman Catherine Foster said: "We take all reports of burglary very seriously and endeavour to attend at the earliest opportunity.

"However, all resources have to be prioritised and units are sent to where they are needed most.

"Police have launched a full investigation, obtained CCTV footage and are carrying out various other lines of inquiry."

The store in question has been a hotel, bookshop and department store but will become a Wilkinson store on August 4.

Wilkinson has more than 300 stores nationwide, including branches in Union Street in the city centre as well as Kingswood, Bedminster and Knowle.

Anyone with information on the tool theft should call 0845 4567000, quoting crime number 66511/11.