A VAN run by Dr Kershaw's Hospice has been stolen for the second time in 11 months.

The Ford Transit vehicel was taken from outside Morrisons supermarket in Chadderton at about 1pm today.

It was driven away as volunteers were picking up cardboard boxes from the store to collect donations from a house. The van keys were not stolen.

Last year the van was stolen from the hospice grounds one evening in October and was recovered the next day after a social media appeal.

There was several hundreds of pounds’ worth of damage inflicted to the van which was funded by donations from our community including Tesco, good Samaritan, Paul Jackson, and three-year-old Evalyn-Grace’s pocket money.

Rebecca Bentham, income development manager, said: “We are shocked and saddened by the news that our van has been stolen again.

“We rely heavily on the kindness of donations from our supporters. To have to pay for repairs or even a replacement van is a huge expense to the hospice.

"It’s devastating but we hope that, with the support of our local community, we will soon be reunited with the vehicle.

“We rely heavily on the kindness of donations from our supporters. To have to pay for repairs or even a replacement van is a huge expense to the Hospice.”

If you would like to report a sighting of the van please call the Hospice on 0161 624 2727.

The registration number is YJ63 VWK.