An urgent appeal for volunteers and donations has been issued following a break-in at a charity shop in which burglars got away with £300 takings.

Raiders caused damage at the More Sense outlet in Rainham Shopping Centre, ransacking the store room before ripping open the safe.

Staff arriving for work found the store had been broken into and immediately alerted the caretaker and police.

Shop manager Christine Brennan said: “I am shocked and appalled that anyone would want to steal from a charity.

“Proceeds from the sale of donated stock provide vital funds that enable Sense to support deaf and blind people and those with complex needs.

“We are trying to continue business as usual but there is a lot of work to do.

“We’d like to appeal to people in the local community for donations and to give up their time volunteering in the store to help us recover after the break in.”

Shop assistant Julie Chaproniere arrived at work at about 8.30am on December 28, to discover the door at the front was open.

“I am shocked and appalled that anyone would want to steal from a charity" - More Sense manager Christine Brennan

She said she had been to the bank the day before with the Christmas takings, which would have been considerably more than what they got away with.

The shop, run by the national charity Sense, sells second-hand furniture, clothing and bric-a-brac.

A police spokesman said “We were called to a report of a burglary at a business premises at Rainham Shopping Centre.

"It was reported that a quantity of cash had been stolen from the property.”