RAIDERS broke into two shops stealing cash, meat and paintings on Sunday night.

A butcher's has lost around £1,500 and stock, while three canvas paintings were stolen from an art gallery in Winton.

Armstrong Butcher's and Wistmans Art Cafe, at Wimborne Road, were broken into.

The safe and a quantity of meat were taken from the butcher's.

The CCTV recorder was also taken from the butcher's.

Three paintings on display in the art cafe were stolen, although the owner says no money was taken.

Both premises were entered by breaking in through the back of the shops.

Paul Armstrong, owner of the family-run butcher's, said the incident has had a significant impact on his business.

"We're still trying to work out how much we've lost, but it is in the region of £1,500," Mr Armstrong said.

"I was supposed to do an order for Bournemouth University. I've had to send frozen meat to them rather than fresh.

"It makes you so fed up. Our day off has been ruined and so has the order.

"It just leaves you with a feeling of annoyance."

The business has been run by Mr Armstrong since it opened in 2010 and celebrated its seventh anniversary last Friday.

Neighbouring Wistmans Art Cafe, which shows off a variety of talented work from emerging artists, was celebrating a year in business on Sunday.

Wil Stevens, owner of the Wistmans Art Cafe, said: "They broke in through the back door. Our alarm system went off, but they destroyed it.

"In a way I'm grateful they didn't trash the whole cafe.

"They tried to get into the till, but we keep no money here overnight.

"They missed some things which would have been worth something and took the three paintings from the wall.

"For us they have taken the worst possible thing and something of no real value for them."

One of the stolen artworks was by Oliver Dingley.

The two-by-three foot Vito Corleone painting was created in 2009 and Mr Dingley produced it for his father.

"Initially I didn't know what to think," Mr Dingley said.

"A couple of hours on and I'm really ticked off. You put your heart and soul into your artwork and then someone does something like this.

"I have got another painting still in the cafe, but I'm probably going to take it back."

Dorset Police confirmed they received reports of burglaries at both premises and at present no arrests have been made.