BRAZEN thieves have stolen a huge £10,000 worth of insulation material from the construction site of the new Wemyss Bay Co-op store.

The yellow foam insulation panels were taken from the Greenock Road site some time over the weekend.

It's understood that the thieves would have needed a large van to take the haul away but it's unclear if anyone spotted any suspicious activity at the store.

Sid Singh from Swift Property Management is appealing for information about the incident.

A statement said: "Thieves have broken into the construction site of the new Co-op store and stolen £10,000 worth of yellow foam insulation panels.

"They would have needed a large van to take the haul away, so if anybody saw any suspicious activity over the weekend please contact Sid on 07850899773."

Planning permission for the project, on the site of the former Wemyss Bay Hotel, was granted back in December 2017.

As well as a Co-op store, the plans also include a car park with 20 spaces, including two disabled bays, and a new pedestrian crossing.

The former hotel building lay empty for years and fell into a dilapidated state.

It was deliberately set on fire in November last year.

Less than two weeks later, in December 2018, the eyesore building was finally demolished after heavy winds left it with structural damage.

Now construction work at the cleared site is under way.

An opening date for the new shop is yet to be announced.