Farleigh Hospice Clearance Warehouse was closed Monday 11 December after a break-in left the warehouse damaged and items stolen.

A police investigation is now in progress after warehouse staff and volunteers discovered the warehouse had been broken into early on Monday Morning. 

The charity now faces a large repair bill, money that one spokesperson said: "Should be spent on supporting patients and their families". 

Pauline Harvey-Jones, Commercial Director at Farleigh Hospice, said: "We are shocked and saddened by the news of the break-in at our Homeware Clearance Warehouse in Maldon. 

"Our staff and volunteers show such commitment to raising money for Farleigh Hospice so we can be there for the local people who need our care and support, making this incident all the more upsetting."

She adds: "I cannot praise the whole Farleigh team enough for the way they pulled together to ensure we were back up and running and here for our customers the very next day.  

"I would also like to say a heartfelt thank you to our local community - we have been very humbled and are truly grateful for the kind donations, well wishes and offers of help that we have received in light of this break-in. It's wonderful to know you are here for us as much as we are for you."

The Farleigh Hospice Clearance Warehouse is located at Unit 1, 14 Wycke Hill Business Park CM9 6UZ, and occupies two buildings across two floors.

If anyone has any information they feel could assist with the ongoing police investigation, contact the police directly on 101 and quote the incident number 211.