WHEN caring tot Evalyn-Grace Leach heard heartless thieves had stolen the Dr Kershaw's Hospice van she knew she had to help.

The three-year-old told her mum Kimberley she wanted to donate the pocket money she'd been saving to buy a Baby Annabelle doll towards a new one and promptly handed over her £12.38 to “buy a new camper van”.

The hospice is close to the family's heart after it cared for both Evalyn-Grace's grandma, Christine Aspin, and grandad, Jeff Leach, so they proudly carried out her wishes.

Luckily the vehicle was eventually recovered 16 hours after it went missing from the Turf Lane hospice, in Royton, on a housing estate in Rochdale last Wednesday, following a huge public appeal which went viral on social media

But as every penny counts, Dr Kershaw's fundraising team were delighted and moved by Evalyn-Grace's lovely gesture.

Kimberley said: "We are so proud of how loving, kind and thoughtful Evalyn can be.

"Even though she is young, she is very aware of the feelings of others.

“Evalyn earns her pocket money by helping around the house and is working hard to buy a Baby Annabelle.

"She knows how important the work of Dr Kershaw's is to poorly people as her grandma Christine and Grandad Jeff were both cared for there.

“When she heard about what had happened she replied: "Well, I will save two pennies and give the rest to Dr Kershaw's to buy a new campervan"."

David Whaley, income generation and communications manager at the hospice said: “Evalyn-Grace’s knowledge of the hospice belies her years and to see such generosity was very heartening for the team who were both shocked and angry that someone would target such a caring organisation in this way.”

The van, used to take collection of donations and to distribute goods around the five hospice shops, was off the road for a few days whilst OMC Ford Oldham - which donated the vehicle - assessed the damage.