AN Evesham disc jockey has been left devastated by the theft of £15,000 of equipment from the back of his van.

Mark Rose has spent the past three years scrimping and saving to set up his own business as a DJ. Now his career is in ruins after thieves took almost all his equipment.

Mr Rose parked his red Ford Transit van outside his girlfriend's house in Church Street, Evesham, at about 11.30pm last Thursday night, but at 7am the next day he discovered raiders had forced their way in and taken a CD mixer, CDs, an amplifier and two speakers.

He said: "I am absolutely devastated. It is my livelihood and I just want it all back.

"They took out the glass, reached inside and taken off the lock to get to everything. They knew what they were doing."

Mr Rose has been a DJ since 1978 and worked at Bugsy's nightclub in High Street until it closed three years ago.

"Since then, I went back into factory work and bought everything I could lay my hands on to set up my own DJ business.

"I spent three years doing that for someone to come along and take the whole lot in one night. I have a day job and sometimes I have been working from 7am until 10pm."

Mr Rose, whose real name is Mark Franklin, DJs on Friday and Saturday night at the Ambassador Snooker Club in Avon Street. Last Friday friends rallied round to put together a borrowed CD collection so he could continue with his work. He has hired a mixer and vowed to keep going.

He added: "I feel as if they have beaten me but I refuse to let them. I will continue and do the best I can and just wait and see if any of my equipment turns up."

He said: "Music has been my whole life since I was 14. Whoever has taken my stuff has taken my heart and soul and this has come on top of a lot of other things. Just to have the things back would be something."

Police are linking the theft with another from a blue Vauxhall Astra van parked in Owletts End, Evesham the same night when power tools worth £3,500 were stolen.

Investigating officer PC Craig Tennant said: "I appeal to anyone with information to contact myself on 01905 723888 or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555111.

"Anyone who is offered such items at prices too good to refuse should contact police ." He added: "Never leave high value property in your vehicle. The extra time it takes to secure your belongings can save you a lot of time in the future."