Volunteers yesterday said they had "no words to describe" cruel thieves who smashed up a Basildon charity shop.

They made a desperate appeal for help in replacing some of the damaged equipment at St Luke's Hospice's shop in Market Pavement.

Staff were called to the shop in the early hours after police told them vandals had struck.

They discovered a glass display case had been smashed and jewellery stolen. Two tills were also missing but were later found, with some of the jewellery, near Basildon market.

Jean Edwards, area manager for the charity, said: "It's just so sickening to think that someone could break into any charity shop and do this.

"I was the first person on the scene and when the manageress of the shop came in she just cried her eyes out for more than an hour. It's terrible."

Det Con Ray Turner, from Basildon police, said: "This was a particularly nasty crime considering a charity shop was targeted."

Staff were forced to close the shop, losing much-needed takings, on Saturday morning.

Mrs Edwards said: "We are open for business as usual now but we need a new till because the one that was dropped is all cracked, and a new display case. If anyone has anything we can use, we'd be very grateful."

If you can help call the shop on 01268 273066.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.