A charity worker has been left distraught after her prized Sixties Mini was stolen just hours after crossing the finishing line of a fundraising rally.

Thieves helped themselves to Donnie Farago’s 1965 Austin Mini after she had used it in a London to Brighton event.

Mrs Farago, trustee at Dover, Deal and District Citizens Advice said: “I was devastated. It was an absolutely gorgeous car.

“It is also a big blow to Citizens Advice because it had been used in a fundraising event and could have been used for more.”

The red and white car was stolen from The Drive in Sevenoaks between 7pm on Monday, June 5 and 5.30am the next day. Police say inquiries into the theft are ongoing.

Mrs Farago had used it in the rally, with CA branch chief officer Jan Stewart, on Sunday, June 4.

They were dressed in Sixties fashion for the occasion.

After the rally they stayed the night with friends in Sevenoaks along with Mrs Farago’s husband John, who had joined the trip in a back-up car.

Mrs Farago, of Deal, said: “John got up early in the morning to pick something up from the Mini. Then he told me: ‘I’ve some bad news’.”

The car was bought by Mrs Farago a year ago and was valued at £10,000.

It had helped Citizens Advice raise about £1,350 through the rally.

The cash is needed to buy 10 new computers for the district branch.

The local branch of Citizens Advice is desperately short of money to keep going.

It gives free impartial advice to people on housing, debt, benefits, pensions, consumer matters and other concerns.

Mrs Farago said: “We desperately need new computers because at the moment it is taking longer to do our work.”

She is now appealing for anyone who can donate replacement computers to contact the district CAB.

The Deal branch is at Victoria Road, telephone 01304 374128, and the Dover one is at Maison Dieu Gardens, Maison Dieu Road, telephone number 01304 202442.

Dover and Deal District Citizens Advice needs double the income it gets to run a full service.

And the number of people coming to the charity with benefit problems has shot up by 40% since universal credit came in.

The charity has a £97,000 grant from Dover District Council for 2017/18 but Mrs Stewart said: “We need another £100,000 to provide an all round service.

“That is why we are having to take part in a lot of fundraising events.”

Mrs Stewart said that the main concern people come to the charity with is debt.

But the second biggest is universal credit which began in this district last month May and is being phased in.

It is an umbrella benefits system for people such as the unemployed, workers on low incomes, families and those with disabilities.

But it has led to a 40% increase of people contacting CA with benefit problems in May this year compared with May 2016.

Mrs Stewart said: “It has led to some people being £300 a month worse off.”

The new system means that those who would have previously claimed income-based jobseekers allowance, employment and support allowance, income support, working and child tax credits and housing benefit will instead claim universal credit.