MORE than 20 Christmas selection boxes were stolen after a break-in at a foodbank.

Thieves also stole two televisions after smashing their way into the Rhyddings Methodist Church in Oswaldtwistle.

Dozens of packets of sausages and bacon had to be thrown out after the thieves ransacked the cupboard storing the food and left the freezer door open.

The foodbank operates out of Rhyddings Methodist Church in Chapel Street every Monday.

The televisions, which are worth about £500 each, were taken from inside the church.

Peter Gattei, who runs the foodbank with his wife Eve, said they arrived to find the window had been smashed.

He said: “They took a lot of stuff for our Christmas hampers including more than 20 selection boxes as well as toiletries.

“They also took our trolley which is worth about £150.

“Luckily we can still use the bread which was in the freezer because we only picked it up the day before. It is horrible.”

He called for donations of meat and selection boxes to be made after they had to throw out packets of sausages and bacon which had been donated by a local farm.

Mrs Gattei said: “A lady from the farm brings bacon down for us every week.

“We have had to throw it all out so it leaves people going without some of the fresher food.

“Who breaks into a foodbank?”

David Haworth, property steward at the church, said he saw the broken window when he arrived at the church at around 10.30am on Monday.

“I had a walk round and realised they had broken into the foodbank as well,” he said.

“They came through the window and went out fire exit taking the two televisions with them on the way out.

“They are worth about £500 each and we have only had them for about three months.

“It does have an impact on our Christmas arrangements as we were planing to display things on the screens.”

A police spokesman said the break-in happened between 1pm on Sunday and 10.40am on Monday.

To donate contact Mrs Gattei on 01254 237855.