Vandals attack hospice minibus

Staff at St Cuthbert's Hospice, in Durham City, arrived at work to find thieves had broken into a garage, vandalised the minibus used to provide transport for terminally-ill patients and had stolen vital wheelchair equipment.

The thieves broke into the garage behind the unit in Park House Road, Merryoakes, by forcing a wooden door.

They smashed the rear window of the Renault minibus with a brick and stole a first aid kit and clamps - used while transporting wheelchairs.

The value of the goods stolen amounted to £250 and volunteers spent yesterday clearing up the mess and making good the damage.

The £20,000 minibus, which is used to allow seven patients at a time to come into the day unit or go on day trips organised by volunteers, was bought in November last year after a fundraising campaign by members of Elvet Methodist Church.

Ann Fleming, palliative care nurse at the hospice, discovered the break-in at about 9.30am.

She said: "I can't understand why people would do it - it's not as if we keep anything in the minibus.

"You would think as a hospice we would be immune to this sort of thing, but clearly we're not.

"Thankfully, there were no patients relying on the minibus because we had just closed for the Christmas holidays, but had it been the day before it would have caused real problems because it was the Christmas party and guests wouldn't have been able to attend.

Inspector Adrian Green, of Durham police, said: "It really was a stupid thing to do as the wheelchair clamps are of no use to anyone else.

"All the vandals have achieved is to put the minibus out of action and created more work for those running the hospice.

"If the clamps are returned or left somewhere, they can easily be found. It would at least show the thieves have some conscience."

Since it opened in 1988, St Cuthbert's Hospice has helped 1,800 patients a year who are suffering illness such as cancer, heart disease, Motor Neurone disease and chronic lung disease.