CHARITY fund-raiser Ken Ridehalgh (pictured) is furious after thieves stole two of his collection boxes.

Ken, of New Row, Altham, had put out the boxes to help raise cash for Scope, the cerebral palsy charity.

He is taking part in a sponsored trek in the Andes in May and needs to raise at least £2,500.

Ken, 51, who is a building supervisor, said today: "I would like to know what sort of society we live in today when you can't even put out collecting boxes for charity without some low life scum stealing them.

"I am hoping to raise a minimum of £2,500 for Scope and am taking part in a sponsored trek on the ancient Inca Trail in the Andes in May.

"Unfortunately the money in the boxes was to have counted towards this total.

"It absolutely disgusts me to think that someone can do this to such a well deserving charity or any charity for that matter."

Ken, who is married to Doris, 58, had left one of the boxes at the Grane Restaurant at Queens Park Hospital and another at the Walton Arms, Altham.

He is due to take part in the 100km trek in May and has to have at least £2,500 for Scope, formerly the Spastics Society, by March.

He will fly out to Peru from London on May 5 and then tackle the trek which will take him from 10,000ft to 14,500ft.

Ken added: "I have got a lot of people to sponsor me for the trek and I have been doing other things such as raffles and walks to raise the money.

"If I am short I will put the money in myself."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.