THE owners of a chip shop have slammed the ‘disgusting’ thieves who stole charity money during a break-in.

Elaine Jordan, 61, and her husband Tony, 64, have put a poster in the window of the Old Mill Hill Chippy, Chapel Street, Blackburn, which ‘thanks’ the criminals who took an envelope with £145 in it marked ’for charity’.

The cash, raised by staff and customers, was going to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to buy Christmas presents for sick children in memory of the Jordan’s grandchild who died several years ago.

The couple, of Heys Lane, Blackburn, have run the chip shop for 18 years and The Galli Chip Shop in Hancock Street for 25 years.

Last year they had a Poppy collection stolen and said their loyal customers had responded by giving even more this year.

Mrs Jordan said: “I’m so angry that people have been good enough to donate at a time when they are really struggling to make ends meet and someone just comes along and takes the money. I’m at a total loss to explain it. It was clearly marked ‘for charity’.

“We were so cross we put the sign in the window to tell people what had happened.

“But customers who have seen our poster are so disgusted they have pledged to raise money all over again.

“I’ve seen the very best and the very worst in people this week.”

Also stolen in the break-in, which happened overnight from Friday into Saturday, was £250 in takings from a cupboard and £28 from the till. The thieves left the 5ps, 2ps and 1ps in the drawer.

Mrs Jordan said they discovered an unscrewed small window on Saturday afternoon and the CCTV camera had been turned against the wall.

Police said they were investigating.

Anyone with information should call the police on 0845 1 253545.