BURGLARS have staged a second raid on a tiny Swindon charity that helps people with learning disabilities.

The Open Door Centre in Gorse Hill was ransacked on Saturday night just two months after crooks stole almost £2,000 in a similar break in.

This time there was little to steal apart from a member’s CD player.

But a devastated deputy manager Pat Winning told the Advertiser: “They left a Hell of a mess. They rifled through every drawer, every cupboard.”

The burglary was discovered by St Barnabas Church officials when they arrived early on Sunday and saw smashed glass on the floor. They reported it to police.

Five cabinets in the office had their doors smashed in. “There are big holes in them where they have tried to kick them in. Then they have jemmied them.”

“We’ve got no money on the premises now but they took a radio/DVD player belonging to one of our members,” said Pat. “They took a lot last time. We learned our lesson.”

The Open Door staff went in early on Monday to clear up their office.

“We will not be beaten by these people,” she said. “It seems incredible that they would behave in such a terrible way to a little charity that is fighting for its life, for people that have so little in their lives.”

“We have been going for 31 years and in 31 years we have never been burgled until the last few weeks.”

The thieves made a determined effort to break in. A hole was cut in the front door by one of the handles before kicking panels on the door to the office.

“They must have spent some time to get in here,” said Pat. “It is just greedy, selfish people with no regard for other human beings.

In the last burglary, over night between August 8 and 9, members’ cash that had been saved for trips, raffle money and bank cards were stolen.

Open Door helps people with learning disabilities take part in different activities like cinema trips, holidays, martial arts, walking and singing.One of the organisation’s biggest fundraisers is the annual music extravaganza which is being staged at Gorse Hill Community Centre on Friday at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £6 or £5 for concessions and are available on the door or by calling 01793 512357.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.