A 10-year-old boy from Butleigh has been left devastated after every jar of jam from his small honesty-box stall was stolen overnight.

James has been making and selling jam with his grandmother since the age of eight, learning to cook, count money and speak to customers while saving up for toys and a new bike.

His stall outside their home typically relies on trust, with local customers leaving payment in an honesty box. But on Wednesday night, 8 January, someone took the entire display — including jam, preserves and chutneys worth around £40.

Among the stolen items were five jars of cranberry sauce, three raspberry, three strawberry, two blueberry, three chilli jam and one jar of pickled onions.

His grandmother said that while the occasional pot had gone missing in the past, this was the first time everything had been taken. "I'm nervous about putting more out now," she wrote in a post. "He can't sustain this kind of theft."

A GoFundMe fundraiser has now been launched by the family to help him restock with fruit and jars, and — if funds allow — to buy a small secure shed so he can restart safely.

"We started making jam so we could spend time together," she wrote, "but he has learned so much… and we have great fun while we are doing it."

In a separate incident on Thursday January 8th, vehicles were damaged near Sparkford after objects were thrown from a moving car. One van had its windscreen smashed and a school bus with children on board was also struck. Police have not confirmed any arrests.

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