CHARITY shop thieves have put fundraisers in a spin.

Teesside Hospice, Middlesbrough, needs to raise £2,500 every day to keep its doors and range of support services running.

A 15-gear mountain bicycle being offered as top prize in a draw at the charity's Lin- thorpe Road shop in the town was expected to raise £2,000.

That was until thieves stepped in and stole the Shimano bike.

Charity workers, who have already sold 250 tickets to people hoping for a chance of winning the bike, painted in Coca Cola's distinctive red livery with white lettering, have been left without a top prize.

It had been hoped the money raised in raffling the bike would also give a boost to plans by three woman working for the hospice to cycle across Cuba.

"We were hoping to raise £10,000 for the hospice with the ride and hoped the bike would raise £2,000, so what has happened has really put a dampener on everything," said hospice publicity officer Joanne Denwood.

She is taking part in the Cuban marathon of more than 300 miles with charity shops' manager Sheila Bearcroft and Marske shop manager Julie Adams.

"It was a low thing to do, to target a charity," said Joanne. "We have had shops broken into before, but nothing like this.

"We are looking now to see if people can help us with a replacement top prize.

"We are also asking people to keep a look out for the bike and if they see it to let us know."