THIEVES ransacked a community centre causing more than £10,000 of damage and spoiling food intended for the homeless.

Police said The Saheli Centre in Accrington was targeted by thieves, who helped themselves to vital equipment, broke doors off their hinges and left freezers stocked full of food open, ruining the products inside.

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But charity bosses who run the weekly ‘Feed the Needy’ initiative from the Charter Street centre refused to ‘give in’ and reopened the doors yesterday to offer hot meals to the borough’s homeless and needy.

Father-of-three Shakeeb Munir, who runs ‘Feed the Needy’ said it was frustrating to see the damage done.

The 31-year-old teaching assistant at Hollins Technology College said: “The place was absolutely ransacked.

“Someone has barged open all the doors and knocked them off the hinges.

“They’ve been through and turned over absolutely everything.

“The freezers have been left wide open, we’ve had to throw out all the food we had in there. It was going to be used for parcels for the homeless.

“The place was left in a right state.

“We’re doing something worthwhile for the community, and it’s annoying to think someone would do this.

“It’s desperate times for the community, and there are some desperate people around, but unfortunately that causes people to do desperate things. That’s just the scene in the town at the moment.

“That’s why we set up the whole thing, out of concern for local community.

“We’re still carrying on helping those in need.We haven’t missed a weekly serving in three and a half years.”

The thieves took a £500 PA System, several electronic power tools, sports equipment and charity boxes.

The total cost of the burglary, thought to have taken place overnight Thursday, is estimated to be around £10,000 to repair damage done and replace stolen items.

Community leaders slammed the thieves as ‘selfish’ and ‘deplorable’.

Cllr Miles Parkinson, Hyndburn Council leader, said: “It’s very disappointing to see this happen.

“The community is trying to come together for the benefit of those in need by donating food and fundraising.

“But we have individuals who are selfish and giving no thought to the damage that they are causing to those in desperate need.

“The criminality of taking from those in need is just deplorable.”

Cllr Peter Britcliffe said: “It’s a dreadful, mindless act and it’s very, very sad to hear that someone could have acted this way.

“It’s going to be the most vulnerable people that are hurt more than anyone else.”

Mr Munir praised the police who have now launched an investigation to find those responsible.

Claims neighbours saw someone leaving the building in a taxi at around 4.30am on Friday have also been passed to the police.

The centre hosts a free curry club every Sunday between 1.30pm and 2.30pm which is open to anyone in the borough who finds themselves homeless or on the poverty line.

Yesterdays event saw approximately 30 people attend.

Ron Arkwright, 56, from Church, said: “I think’s it’s absolutely despicable that someone would do this to a charity.

“I’ve been coming here from more than two years, from when it first started off at Maundy Grange.”

Dennis Cramp, 90, who lives off Sparth Road, said: “It’s brilliant what they do here, it makes my Sunday. Otherwise there’d be nothing to do for me.

“But there’s some pretty evil people around, who would do something like this to a charity?”

One woman, 36, added: “It’s not right what these people have done and I just hope they catch them.”

A police spokesman said: “We are appealing for information about a burglary at the Saheli Centre in Charter Street, Accrington.

“Offenders broke into the Community Centre and ransacked it stealing some items and leaving the freezer open causing the food inside to be spoiled.

“We want to hear from anyone who witnessed anything that might help.”

Anyone with information should call police on101 quoting ED1702621.