A specialist transgender shop in Folkestone has been targeted by burglars, who stole money and sex toys.

Sue Sheppard, 58, who set up the Lacies Fantasy Girls in Dover Road in 1999, was woken by police officers shining torches in her face following the raid.

It is believed two men broke into the building through the front door in the early hours of this morning.

Mrs Sheppard, who lives above the shop with her partner Ken, said: "We've never had anything like this happen before, we are totally shocked.

"I thought I heard a noise during the night but thought it was something outside.

"Then we were woken up by six police officers shining torches in our faces. We thought they were the intruders to begin with."

She continued: "We believe the break-in happened at around 1.40am this morning. It looks like it was two men.

"They tried smashing the window but the glass withstood it so they then tried breaking the door - it came off in my hand when I opened it this morning.

"They came in and had a good look around before they went over to the till. They stole the drawer which had about £300 or £400 in it.

"The CCTV shows them walking past the dresses and the wigs. They start rummaging around the sex toys, discarding some before putting others into their pockets and filling a bag."

Lacies is one of the only specialist stores for transgender people in the south east.

Throughout this morning's incident, the couple's ginger cat, Thomosina, ran away and is now feared to be missing.

Mrs Sheppard continued: "The shop is my livelihood, I'm so upset.

"The door and windows will need replacing, as well as the till, and our cat has also gone missing.

"There may be some disruption but we hope to be open again today but please if anyone knows anything can they get in touch with the police."

A spokesman from police said: " We are investigating a report that a burglary took place at a shop in Dover Road, Folkestone, at around 1.45am on Friday, February 2.

"The store’s till is reported to have been taken by two men and officers are conducting ongoing enquiries into the matter."

Anyone with any information on the burglary can call police on 01843 222289 quoting crime reference number 02-0061, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.