A hospice boss has spoken of his dismay after a third break-in at one of the charity's buildings in the space of a few weeks.

Butterwick Hospice, in Bishop Auckland, was broken into on Sunday evening.

The intruder damaged roof tiles as they broke into the doctor's office.

The centre on Woodhouse Lane, which cares for people with serious or terminal illnesses, has also been targeted twice in previous weeks.

Although nothing has been stolen on any of the occasions, the repair bills are draining funds that the hospice works so hard to raise.

Graham Leggatt-Chidgey, chief executive of Butterwick Hospice Care, said he could not understand why the centre was being targeted.

He said: "It is difficult to believe anyone would want to break into a hospice that cares for local people with life-threatening illnesses.

"But to have criminal damage done at our hospice in Bishop Auckland three times in such a short space of time beggars belief.

"During each break-in, nothing was stolen from the hospice, but the cost of repairing the damage on each occasion affects funds that are needed for patient care."

In the latest break-in, the office was damaged. As a hole was left in the roof, rain water seeped into the building overnight.

There was a computer and other equipment in the room, but nothing was taken.

The hospice's marketing manager, Jackie Leighton, said: "Somebody has removed some tiles from the first floor roof and dropped down into the doctors' office.

"But they don't appear to have taken anything.

"They must have seen the alarm system in the office and then thought better of it."

Two months ago, somebody tried to break into the front of the building before going around the back and smashing windows.

A few weeks earlier, an intruder gained access to the patio garden at the back of the centre and tipped a fountain over.

A police spokesman confirmed that an attempted burglary had been reported yesterday morning. Anybody with information is asked to contact 0845 60 60 365.