Burglars who broke into Bradford Bulls’ Odsal Stadium during the week stole and damaged equipment including a life-saving defibrillator.

The Bulls have been in a race against time to get themselves fully medically equipped for this afternoon’s League One game with Whitehaven.

The club’s first aid and resuscitation equipment – including its defibrillator – were among the items badly damaged.

Meanwhile Bulls boss John Kear says his league leaders will be treating White- haven with the utmost respect today.

The Bulls host the west Cumbrians at Odsal and Kear has stressed that Carl Forster’s men will be difficult opponents.

He says: “We went there in June and they were really tough opposition. They work hard as a unit and for each other and have a lot of skill, so we will have to be at our best to come out on top.”

When Bulls played at the Recre, winning 27-20 in June, Whitehaven were in the midst of a financial crisis.

Since then Carl Forster’s men have put together a six-match winning sequence to earn fourth spot in the table.

Kear’s side are going into the game on the back of a 58-12 win at London Skolars last Saturday. But it wasn’t without some problems as the Bulls lost former Haven player Gregg McNally with an ankle injury picked-up in the warm-up only 15 minutes before kick-off.

McNally is not able to resume against his former club this afternoon but the Bulls will include two of their three deadline day signings Tuoyo Egodo and Jonny Pownall.

Whitehaven squad: Burns, Taylor, Parker, D. Thompson, Phillips, Shackley, Tilley, Forster, Holliday, Aiye, Green, Coward, Gillam, Brown, Howarth, Mossop, Eaves, McAvoy, Herve, J. Thompson.