THIEVES have stolen a month's worth of food, sleeping bags, toiletries and other items intended for the homeless.

Volunteers for Bournemouth charity Hope for Food, which runs soup kitchens and an array of outreach services providing rough sleepers with essential items and support, were stunned to find their West Howe storeroom empty on Friday morning.

The burglars, who would have needed a vehicle to transport all the stolen items, had smashed their way through the door of the storage unit in the West Howe Industrial Estate.

There they had taken everything, ransacking the place in the process.

Volunteer Jane Hancox said: "I have spent the whole day crying about it, we have all been deeply shocked and horrified that anyone could do this.

"We all work incredibly hard as volunteers to keep the store and supply going on a weekly basis.

"It feels a bit like we have let down all the people who brought in donations, it is absolutely heart-breaking."

She said the most expensive item stolen was likely a £60 joint of meat, donated by a member of the public, which had been stored in a freezer.

Even refrigerated and frozen items were taken in the raid.

A camo pattern baseball cap with an NY logo found at the scene is thought to have been left by the perpetrators.

Hope for Food is now appealing for further donations to replace the stolen items.

Visit facebook.com/HopeForFood for more information, or donations can be made at Unit 8, West Howe Industrial Estate.

The charity has contacted police to report the theft, and said officers had attended to examine the scene.

It said information about the crime can be reported to Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident number 22-143 or crime number 55180096433.