A CHARITY shop manager was left in floods of tears after burglars trashed her store and stole just £2 in loose change.

The raiders smashed a window at Cancer Research UK, in Southchurch Road, Southend, before ransacking the place.

They even stole the contents of a collection tin.

During the raid the culprits rummaged through piles of donations and pulled a heavy filing cabinet down on to the floor.

Tearful manager Bev Dean said: “They tried to smash the door and when that didn’t work they came in through the window.

“Fortunately a delivery driver from Papa Johns pizza outlet phoned the police and waited for someone to come. At first I just thought it was the windows which had been done, until I saw the back room light on. When I saw what they’d done there I just felt absolutely sick. They are the lowest of the low.”

Yesterday, the charity shop was forced to close while staff busily cleaned up.

Mrs Dean, who lives in Great Wakering, is yet to tally up the cost of the damage, but feared it would run into hundreds of pounds.

Just a few yards along the road, the Slug & Lettuce pub also suffered a similar break-in on the same night. Police received a call at about 4.45am to say an alarm had been activated and it was believed someone was on the premises.

They arrested a 28-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of burglary, but nothing had been stolen.

The suspect, who is of no fixed address, remains in police custody.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said: “There’s no suggestion the incidents are linked.”