Cambridgeshire butcher's shop 'cleared out' by thieves ahead of Christmas

Almost everything was taken from the fridges and freezers at the farm shop

Thieves broke in to a family-run butcher shop on a farm ahead of Christmas and stole almost the entire stock of meat.

About £2,000 of prepared meat and frozen products were taken from TFM Butchers in Isleham, Cambridgeshire in the early hours of Friday.

"They took everything except a few sides of meat - and the liver," said Roseanna Thompson, one of the owners.

However, she vowed they would fulfil all customers' Christmas orders.

Thieves targeted the farm, which rears all its own pork, beef, lamb and chicken, by removing a gate and smashing through a workshop before cutting a hole to gain access to the shop, Mrs Thompson said.

It is thought the thieves used sledgehammers to break into the buildings

They removed almost everything from the freezers and all the prepared meat, some of which the farm had expected to sell at a market on Friday evening.

"Everything they could carry was taken, except a few sides of meat which I expect were too heavy," said Mrs Thompson, whose family has run the shop since 1975.

She said the damage and the loss were "devastating" but customers had been "extremely supportive".

A police forensic team was sent to examine the scene and the theft was being investigated.

"We will make sure everyone gets their Christmas order," said Mrs Thompson.