A FANCY dress shop owner is “devastated” after her store was broken into and the safe was stolen just as business was at its busiest since before the pandemic

Callous thieves targeted Fancy That, on Chorley Old Road, after it was closed on Saturday.

They broke through a locked back door and fled with the safe, containing around £8,000.

Kay Heywood, who has run the business since 2004, said: “I am just devastated, I am gutted.

“We are a small family business and this has floored me. I had my husband take a week off work to help.

“My daughter came in on her days off to help and my grandson came in also.”

The maximum insurance for money kept in a safe is £2,500, so she is facing a loss of at least £5,500 for the break-in.

Mrs Heywood feared during the pandemic she would not be able to reopen. She renovated a flat above the shop and was considering renting this out to earn more money.

But by Halloween she finally felt like she was just getting back to normal.

She said: “It has been the busiest I have been since before Covid. We were so pleased we were getting to open up again and we were busy.

“I have worked really hard to keep going, and we definitely have some loyal customers.”

As well as stealing the safe the thieves also snatched till receipts.

Mrs Heywood added: “We had at least £2,500 from deposits from customers. My customers are bringing them back now and I have had to give them my own cash.

“There was five days takings, on Saturday we took over a grand. We know roughly how much there was, I think there was £8,000 at least.”

But despite the devastating setback she has vowed to bounce back.

The 57-year-old Astley Bridge resident said: “I feel like shutting the door but I am going to keep going.”

A police spokesman said: “Police were called to a report of a burglary at around 8.35am on November 2 on Chorley Old Road in Bolton. Enquiries remain ongoing. There have been no arrests.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police online at www.gmp.police.uk or on 101 quoting log number 617 of November 3 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.