A DJ's record collection has been stolen days before an important charity gig.

Adam Ryan, 22, of Frederick Street, Brighton, is due to play at the Pride festival on Saturday where he will help launch a new entertainments collective raising money for charity.

Over the past six months he has been working with musicians and vocalists to put together an exciting set for the launch.

These recordings were among the 50 records stolen on Saturday morning as Adam helped a friend unload a car outside his flat.

Adam, who studied environmental science at Sussex University, said: "We'd been at a wedding and I was helping carry the catering stuff from the car into the house. My records were out there as well and while I was inside for a moment they vanished. I think it must just have been opportunists.

"The collection took about eight years to build up but it's of absolutely no value to anyone except me - it's all underground music."

The gig at Pride was to be the first performance by Lovestick, an organisation formed by local artistes from drag acts to magicians and puppeteers.

The DJs play house music with live musicians improvising to the rhythm. Adam was due to perform with drag vocalist Anthony David and a soul singer.

They are donating 20 per cent of the profit from their performances to charity - 100 per cent if they play at big or special events.

Following the record theft another Lovestick DJ is scheduled to replace Adam, who is trying to scrape together the bones of his original collection from record shops and friends.

He said: "I don't know if appealing to the thieves to return the records will have any effect but it is for charity. The ethos of Lovestick is all about bringing the community together which is the complete opposite of having your record collection stolen."