Thieves have rendered a piece of medical equipment used for "ground-breaking" research at Newcastle University defunct.

The £4m PET-MR Scanner, used for dementia and cancer research by students, is unable to used after copper wiring was stolen on Monday evening.

A "selfish minority" gained access to a building on Westgate Road and stole the wire, causing damage to the scanner's low-voltage supply.

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A Newcastle University spokesperson said: "As a University that is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of adults and children here in the North East, we are extremely disappointed that our PET-MR scanner has been affected by the actions of a selfish minority.

"Our £4m PET-MR scanner is one of only a handful of similar pieces of equipment in the country used for ground-breaking research into understanding treatment therapies of life-threatening conditions such as cancer and dementia.

"The break-in at our PET-MR centre has significantly impacted the scanner with major damage to the low-voltage supply.

"We do not know when the equipment will be available for use again, but we will work hard to bring it back into operation for our pioneering research to continue.”

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “We are investigating a theft from an electricity sub-station at a premises on Westgate Road in Newcastle at 7.45pm on Monday, December 20.

“Offenders gained access to a building and stole a quantity of copper wiring, before making off.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting crime number 141408C/21.”

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