A brazen thief stole a charity box from a town centre business.

Owners of Scoopalicious say a man came armed with pliers to the ice-cream and dessert  parlour on Corporation Street.

The charity box was for the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where the son of owners  - Khaliq and Fozeia Rehman - was treated after being in a road accident.

The couple say they cannot believe someone would be heartless enough to steal a charity box.

CCTV footage shows a man in the store, and say the owners, a woman created a distraction as the man took a set of pliers to cut a  chain which was attached to the charity box before making off with it.

Mrs Rehman hit out at the theft.

She said:“It makes us feel disgusted and sad because it is something that is close to our hearts.

“It is just sad that somebody would steal a charity box, where is the humanity?

The family were especially keen to raise money for the hospital as in 2016 their son Zakariya, aged 11, was involved in a road accident, in which he sustained a serious leg injury.

The family were told it may be difficult to repair the damage, but thanks to the hospital their son made a full recovery.

Police have been informed about the incident.