In true We Can Do It spirit, college students, staff and builders have offered to help the Cornelius Centre in New Road, Buckland, after thieves stole about 26ft of the metal.

The charity is facing a repair bill of up to £2,000.

Centre manager Mike Hiscutt said: 'It's absolutely marvellous when you consider we are in a world where everybody seems to carry on their lives alone and the community is divided.

'I think it is a marvellous achievement that when the chips are down the world-war mentality comes out and everybody chips in to help. It is marvellous.'

Services, maintenance and building group Interserve carrying out work at nearby Lake Road Health Centre offered to help after that building was also targeted by the lead thieves.

Quantity surveyor Garry Donaldson said: 'We are using an alternative material to replace the lead which has no commercial value.

'We are around the corner from the Cornelius Centre and can get that done for them too. We are going to provide the materials and labour.

'There is no cost to the Cornelius Centre.

'Our site manager Virgillio Faria saw the report in The News after the health centre had been targeted.

'That's when we decided that with the centre looking at closure we could help.'

Eddie Bergin from the construction department at Highbury College in Cosham said staff and students wanted to help.

When they learned the repairs were already in hand the building services plumbing department offered to carry out a plumbing survey with a view to carrying out any work needed.

Lecturer and programme leader for plumbing Mr Bergin said: 'When we heard the charity drop-in centre could close down we thought that if we could do something it would be good.'