THE owner of a family-run Isle of Wight museum, which has been a seaside attraction for more than 40 years, has described the deep feeling of "upset and absolute stress" after precious, irreplaceable items were damaged during a break in

The Longshoreman's Museum in Ventnor seafront was broken into, with cash stolen and artefacts damaged.

The attraction, owned by Sophie Blake, was targeted at around 4am on Wednesday (October 23).

The Longshoreman's Museum owner, Sophie Blake.The Longshoreman's Museum owner, Sophie Blake. (Image: Isle of Wight County Press) The break-in caused criminal damage, including some to museum's artefacts, made by her late parents, who established the museum.

This comes only a year after the museum, once the Blake family's home, was revamped.

Despite the damage, the museum was able to reopen at the weekend, thanks to the efforts of Sophie's son-in-law and friend, who helped repair cabinets made by her father.

The police have confirmed they are investigating the incident as a burglary.

They noted that entry was forced into the building, with damage caused to the cabinets and other property.

Cash was also stolen from the till and the CCTV was switched off by the intruders.

Sophie said: "Somebody broke in through the back windows, through my boathouse garden, at about 4am."

She explained how they got in and "jumped onto a cabinet, smashing it, before heading directly for the counter, switching off the CCTV and opening the till, which had about £200 in it".

Sophie also said the intruders "knocked things off the wall, including pictures and they broke some items of pottery my mum made, which can never be replaced."

The note Sophie Blake left on the museum door the morning after the break-in (Image: Sophie Blake) "They stood on the cabinet and broke all the glass. The cabinet had all my dad's tools in it, which he used to build rowing boats."

The owner, born in the former family home, expressed her distress, adding: "The museum's been there 40 years and that's the first time it had been broken into.

"It upset me so much. Just someone doing has made me feel so bad. I feel so absolutely stressed."

The museum houses hundreds of artefacts and curios, collected over many years, including shipwrecked items, a rare beer flagon, engravings, paintings and photographs of the Ventnor area.

Sophie suspects the same person who burgled her son's home in Leeson Road two weeks ago is responsible, based on the CCTV footage from the two properties.