THIEVES have stolen expensive paving stones from the rear of a Bolton Hospice shop.
The store, which raises funds for the hospice, was targeted in the early hours on Monday morning.
Staff, many of who are volunteers, at the shop in High Street in Little Lever, noticed the theft when they arrived for work on Monday.
Cathy Wright, Bolton Hospice shops manager, said: "I'm disgusted that people could do this. The hospice is funded almost entirely by its fundraising activities and donations, but yet one of our shops has been targeted."
Seven of the York stone paving flags, which are about 3ft by 3ft, and very thick, had been stolen.
It is thought thieves must have scaled the rear gate, opened it, and loaded the flags into a van.
The landlord of the shop now plans to remove the remaining stones and replace them with gravel.
Mrs Wright said: "The yard was in a total mess. Staff were really shocked."
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