A Bradford charity boss has slammed “despicable” thieves who stole a metal clothing bank containing hundreds of pounds of gifts for needy children.

The one-tonne container, believed to have been stolen for its scrap metal value, disappeared from its collection point in Parkside Road, West Bowling, Bradford.

It is believed a gang of men physically manhandled the 6ft-high by 5ft-wide clothing bank on to the back of a wagon and drove off with it.

The theft was discovered by workers from the UK Relief Trust charity, based in Little Horton Lane, Bradford, when they went to make a collection from the bank on Monday morning.

Charity spokesman David Iqbal said the bank had contained clothing and toys, worth hundreds of pounds, donated by kind-hearted members of the public.

He said: “It is very bad news. We have 15 such charity clothing banks in the city and this is one of the best used we have. I can’t believe anyone could stoop so low as to steal from a charity in this way. It is despicable.”

Mr Iqbal said the charity, which supplies clothes, toys and medical aid to places like Romania and Gaza, had not even finished paying for the stolen container.

He said: “We pay the suppliers in instalments and we still have a number of instalments outstanding on this one.

“The containers cost £1,000 each, and we are probably losing out on £300-400 a week in donations to this particular clothing bank.

“We can’t afford to replace them. We just feel like grabbing them off the streets and bringing them back.”

  • Read the full story Thursday’s T&A