HEARTLESS thieves broke into a charity shop shed and stole bundles of second-hand CDs, DVDs and videos which were in temporary storage while refurbishment work was being carried out.

Stock had been moved out of the Kemp Hospice shop in Kidderminster's Oxford Street to make way for three upstairs rooms to be turned into a home furnishings section.

The items stolen, which also included some computer games and board games, were valued at about £200 and taken overnight last Wednesday from the shed at the rear.

Kemp Trading manager Alison Hinton said: "We were absolutely furious. These thieves have stolen from local people who have life-threatening illnesses because the money we raise through the shop goes to help them and their families."

On a brighter note the home furnishings section, which opened on Monday, has been an immediate hit with customers.

Mrs Hinton said it was packed with curtains and bedding, some of which had never been used.

"We had fabulous curtains and bedding donated, but nowhere to display them properly.

"There is nothing else like this in the area and the first customers have been very impressed," she added.