The Randall children and friend wait for the school bus, at the Shannon Brook shelter, where it used to be after it was stolen.

The Randall children and friend wait for the school bus, at the Shannon Brook shelter, where it used to be after it was stolen. Emma Randall

MOTHER of three Emma Randall thought she was seeing things when the Shannon Brook bus shelter wasn't there.

She rang Richmond Valley Council to see if they had removed it and were going to erect a new one.

We've had park benches and picnic tables stolen, but never a bus shelter, the council told Ms Randall.

Her children - aged 17, 15 and 10 - used the bus shelter twice a day as they waited for buses to take them to Leeville Public School and Casino High School. They live two kilometres down the road from the shelter.

All that remains now are twisted metal stumps on a cement block.

"It would've have taken awhile," Ms Randall said of the unusual theft.

Richmond Valley Council posted an alert and plea on their Facebook Page:

"STOLEN BUS SHELTER Not a joke! School kids living in the Shannon Brook area have been left to endure bad weather conditions following the theft of a bus shelter near the Shannon Brook Road-Rutherford Road intersection. Any information which may help us get the shelter back is most appreciated. Please call 6660 0300. Your details will be kept confidential."

A bus shelter is cost $18,000 including construction costs, Richmond Valley Council said.