A CHARITY which empowers people with disabilities through work and education in Richmond has been targeted by thieves.

Volunteers at Just The Job, which specialises in gardening work and producing logs for heating, are devastated after the break in on Wednesday night, which has left the charity's premises in Gallowfields trading estate in ruins, and most of their power tools have been stolen.

Manager Steve Briggs said: "The thieves came in through the roof, so when we arrived on Thursday morning it wasn't immediately obvious what had happened. It was only when we got inside that we saw they had smashed though the asbestos roof and made such a mess inside.

"As well as taking around £6,000 worth of power tools for gardening, they took our safe, and also sprayed a fire extinguisher as they left which destroyed a computer."

However, Mr Briggs said the charity had been touched by the support and donations from nearby businesses.

He said: "The business association held a raffle in town on Thursday for us, and lots of people have been donating to us, which reminds us that there is more good than bad in the world.

"It is very upsetting that this has happened, and it is taking a lot of cleaning up. It is very frustrating that people could do this."

To support the charity visit www.www.just-the-job.org.uk.