Ukraine war: Van filled with donations stolen from Chorley

Rev Bernard Cocker said the white Mercedes van cost the charity over £20,000

A van filled with donations to help Ukrainian war victims has been stolen.

Preston-based charity the International Aid Trust said its white Mercedes Luton van was taken on Sunday evening from a warehouse in Chorley, Lancashire.

Rev Bernard Cocker said CCTV footage at 18:15 GMT showed two people in a small white van pulling up "and within three minutes our vehicle had gone".

"But we're not going to be defeated," he said. The van was full of furniture from the charity's retail shop.

Rev Cocker said: "They had cloned the electronic key somehow because all our keys were accounted for."

'Really hurts'

Talking about his charity's work, he said: "We've been doing this 30 years, we began in Ukraine, and it's never been easy.

"We have had literally hundreds and hundreds of people helping all over the county.

"Last week we had between 50 and 80 volunteers at a warehouse sorting, packing and loading trucks.

"Yesterday we loaded our sixth lorry and that's on the way now to Ukraine.

"And then you get two individuals that steal one of our vehicles, that's what really hurts."

War in Ukraine: More coverage

• LIVE: Latest updates from Ukraine and nearby

• UKRAINE: The lonely funeral of a 21-year-old soldier

• RUSSIA: The backlash against anti-war musicians

• IMPACT: 'I was not supposed to bury my children'

• IN DEPTH: Full coverage of the war

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