A popular powerboat meeting had to be cancelled last night – after officials from the Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Motor Boat Club (LOBMBC) discovered five engines worth thousands of pounds had been stolen from a compound.

The 20th Bob Spalding Memorial Meeting was scheduled to start at 6pm last night (Thursday) on Oulton Broad, but before the racing could start officials were forced to call off the event after they found the engines had been taken from the club's rescue boats at Nicholas Everitt Park.

Police said that the five engines had been stolen sometime in the past week, Officers are seeking witnesses after a black Marriner 75hp engine and four black Marriner 40hp engines were taken from boats that had been left in a compound between 7pm on Thursday, June 13 and 3.45pm yesterday.

A police spokesman said: 'The engines were unbolted and electric cables cut, causing damage in the process.

A club spokesman said that without any rescue boats, and with safety paramount, the racing was unable to go-ahead.

? Police are asking anyone who may have seen any suspicious vehicles in the area, anyone who saw the engines being moved, or anyone with information about who took them or where they are now to call PC 1705 Dines at Lowestoft on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously if required, on 0800 555 111.