Millennium Eve celebrations turned soured for one group of charitable party-goers in Keighley when a charity box was stolen.

Leslie Jackson, a resident who helped organise the estate's celebrations, says the theft was a shocking way to start the new Millennium.

She says: "The thing which upsets me most is that we believe children were responsible." Residents of the Highfell Rise, Keighley, estate had put up their own makeshift Millennium Dome and held a party for about 150 adults and children to see in the New Year.

The party, which included a balloon race, face painting, fireworks and plenty of food and drink, was a great success and was enjoyed by all.

The celebrations were marred when the organisers noticed that a bucket full of donations to the NSPCC had gone missing after a number of teenage gate crashers had been asked to leave.

Mrs Jackson says: "For anyone who attended the party who had not initially put into the kitty, there was a bucket on the inside of our dome where people could make a donation to the charity if they so wished."

She says the pot contained around £35.

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