A CHARITY collection box containing about £100 has been stolen from a York shop.

The charity box, which was raising funds for the Hull Greyhound Rescue charity, was taken from the counter at the Rabbit Rabbit gift shop at number six Stonegate.

The shop's manager Sue Tindall said: "It was full, it was nearly full to the top. Going on former collections that's about a hundred pounds."

Sue said that they don't know for sure when it happened. She can recall the collection box being there on Wednesday afternoon but can't recall seeing it after that.

She owns a rescue greyhound herself - a seven-year-old brindle former racer called Evie. "I just think it's really scandalous," Sue said.

A North Yorkshire police spokesperson said: "Police were called at around 4.05pm on Friday with a report that a charity box had been stolen from a gift shop in York.

"The charity box, belonging to Hull Greyhound Rescue, was stolen from Rabbit Rabbit Gift shop on Stonegate.

"Anyone with any information is asked to contact police. Dial 101, press 1 and pass information to the force control room.

"Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contact anonymously on 0800 555 111.

"Please quote reference number 12150178896 when passing information on about the incident."

Rabbit Rabbit Gifts, formerly Peter Rabbit and Friends, has a head office based in Kendal, Cumbria. After head office staff heard about the theft, they decided to donate £100 worth of goods from the shop towards their Christmas raffle, the proceeds of which will go towards the Hull Greyhound Rescue charity.

The theft follows a number of similar incidents recently. Last week, a Prostate Cancer UK charity collection box was stolen from the bar of the Three Cups pub in Stamford Bridge.