DONATIONS to charity shops that provide vital income to a Poole hospice are being stolen or vandalised because people are leaving them outside.

Now Lewis-Manning Hospice – which provides free care and support to hundreds of local people with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses – is appealing to supporters to either bring in items during opening hours or ring to arrange collection.

“The charity is grateful to members of the community who continue to donate their pre-loved items to them via their shops, however, donated bags and boxes that are left outside their shops are being targeted by thieves and vandals,” said a spokesperson.

“Increasingly hospice shop workers are arriving at work to find bags and boxes ripped open with many items stolen or left unusable and objects strewn across the path.”

Rob Matthews, retail manager at Lewis-Manning, said: “Our shops provide around 30 per cent of our annual income which is vital to us to ensure we can continue to provide our hospice services for free to the public.

“This is a long-standing issue, which also affects many other charity shops.

“We have put signs up in our shop windows asking people not to do this, but it seems to have had little effect.

“It’s not just the case that vandals are stealing and damaging items, the recent bad weather is also damaging the items that have been left outside.”

The charity’s shops at Ashley Cross, Blandford, Broadstone, Ferndown, Parkstone, Poole, Westbourne, Winton and Wimborne are open from 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Saturday, or ring 01202 760574 for collection.