Thieves steal Telford Macmillan Cancer Support charity box

Charity bosses and supporters today condemned thieves who stole a charity box from a cafe in Telford containing money collected to help people with cancer.

The money had been raised through an event held as part of Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning at Giardino in Telford Town Centre on Friday.

Cafe manager Jayne Edwards said the charity box had been left on the counter for customers to make donations.

She said the box was placed on the counter at 9am but the theft was not discovered until 5pm.

"All the collection money we raised that morning is gone - it's disgusting," she added.

"Everything that everyone donated was taken, we are absolutely gutted.

"I don't even know how much was in there because it just sat on the counter and people donated as we gave out free teas and coffees."

She added: "The customers can't believe it. The ones I have told are angry. All of that money was to go to Macmillan, which is a fantastic charity. Someone without a heart took it."

Clare Nester, from Macmillan, said: "All of the staff there worked really hard and it is a shame that someone could do this."

But cafe staff decided to keep fundraising and netted £420 for the charity on Saturday with a tombola.