Hospice charity 'disheartened' by shop break-in

Bosses at a hospice charity shop said they were "deeply saddened" after one of their stores became the target of a break-in.

A number of items were stolen during the incident at The Douglas Macmillan Hospice shop in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, which happened shortly before 03.45 GMT on Monday, according to police.

The charity, usually referred to as the Dougie Mac, provides specialist palliative care for adults, young adults and children across north Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Police said they were appealing for information after a door was damaged and items stolen from the site on Federation Road.

"We are devastated that our Burslem shop was targeted in this way," said Liz Clarke, the charity's head of retail.

"It's incredibly disheartening for our hardworking staff and volunteers, and for the generous supporters who donate and shop with us to help local families.

"The income from all our shops is hugely important to the hospice, so incidents like this do have a real impact."

The store reopened on Monday, she said, and she urged people to continue supporting the charity.

She also raised concerns that repair costs, as well as the possibility of additional security measures, would place extra pressure on the hospice's finances.

Anyone with information was urged to contact Staffordshire Police.

Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.