The spirit of giving - and creativity - is alive and well at one Helensburgh primary school, despite the efforts of thieves.

St Joseph's Primary had been using several wooden pallets for all manner of playground adventures.

But last month, three people in a van turned up and took them from the school just before Bonfire Night.

The school issued an appeal for help - and the community responded in generous fashion, donating lots of new items to inspire young creative minds.

Helensburgh Advertiser: The original pallets pictured in the summerThe original pallets pictured in the summer (Image: Claire Thomson)Helensburgh Advertiser: The original pallets pictured in the summerThe original pallets pictured in the summer (Image: Claire Thomson)Helensburgh Advertiser: Helensburgh Advertiser: New items have been donated to helpNew items have been donated to help (Image: Claire Thomson)

Principal teacher Claire Thomson explained the pallets, tyres, ropes and plant pots were great open-ended items for children to play with in the playground.

She said: "They can be used for anything and areonly limited by the children's imagination.

"The children have created shops and homes and dens with the pallets and they know which ones belong to which ‘group’.

"They were able to tell me what part of their creation had been taken.

"The parents and community rallied round after I put an appeal out on our school Facebook page.

Helensburgh Advertiser: New items have been donated to keep the fun goingNew items have been donated to keep the fun going (Image: Claire Thomson)Helensburgh Advertiser:

"Within a couple of hours on the Friday evening after posting, we had offers of more pallets and tyres for the playground.

"We had so many come the Monday morning that we had to say 'thank you but no more'.

"We have no idea why someone would come into a school and take something that clearly isn’t rubbish. It was very obvious that children were using them.

"I can only assume it was easy pickings for a bonfire as it was around Bonfire Night."

In a further attack at the school, earlier this month, vandals smashed bottles over the outdoor area used by the school's nursery pupils.

Helensburgh Advertiser: Smashed glass in the nursery yard found on December 11Smashed glass in the nursery yard found on December 11 (Image: Claire Thomson)Helensburgh Advertiser: Smashed glass in the nursery yard found on December 11Smashed glass in the nursery yard found on December 11 (Image: Claire Thomson)

A white van with roof ladders and three people inside was captured on CCTV around 7.15pm on November 2 at the Old Luss Road school.

Police are appealing for witnesses; anyone with information is asked to contact PC Gill at Helensburgh police office by calling 101.