THIEVES stole a large industrial barbecue just minutes after it was delivered to a hospice for a summer fundraising fair.

Two crooks drove into the grounds of St Ann’s Hospice, off Armitage Avenue, in Little Hulton, and lifted the 12ft-long barbecue, worth more than £1,000, into a white Transit van and drove off.

The barbecue, which was bought in memory of a former patient, was dropped off near to the main entrance shortly before 10.30am last Wednesday.

Staff had just paid for it to be professionally cleaned in time for this year’s summer fair — but three minutes later, the thieves struck.

Assistant chef Margaret Norris said: “How someone can steal from a hospice, I don’t know. It’s absolutely disgusting.

“I have been round to all the local pubs to see if anyone has tried to sell it to them. Everyone is appalled at what’s happened.”

With less than two weeks to go before the fair, staff are asking the public to help them trace the thieves and replace the barbecue.

It was bought last year with money raised by friends and family of 58-year-old David Bancroft, from Irlam, who died at the hospice in 2007, and features a plaque in his name.

A local man has already donated cash towards a new barbecue but staff are appealing to businesses to donate one.

Fundraising manager Margaret Beck said: “The barbecue is the centre of the day, it’s where everybody congregates and we make most of our money from it, about £800.

“The meat is all donated so everything we make is profit for the hospice. Without it, the summer fair might as well not exist. These people are very low to steal from a hospice.”

The fair takes place on Sunday, June 27, from noon, featuring special guest Danny Miller, who plays Aaron in Emmerdale.

Last year’s event raised more than £8,000.

Anyone who can help the hospice should contact Margaret on 0161 702 5426.

Anyone with information should call the police on 0161 856 5050 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.