A FURIOUS York mum has hit out at police after it took days for them to come and gather evidence from a burglary.

Mandy Hughes and her nine-year-old daughter, Chantelle, had to stay with friends while they waited for scenes of crime officers to investigate the burglary at their home.

When police turned up on Sunday - five days after Mandy contacted them - the family were not at home because they had been instructed not to touch anything.

Mandy was staying with relatives to celebrate her birthday when her home in Crombie Avenue, Clifton, was broken into and trashed by the thieves at about 11.30pm on Sunday, April 15.

Her neighbours reported the crime to police, who boarded up the smashed window and put a note through her door, which Mandy found when she returned home on Thursday.

Mandy, 25, said she immediately called the police and was told not to move anything until officers had been round to take fingerprints and gather evidence.

"I rang the police because there was a note through the door telling me to get in touch," she said.

"One of my neighbours had heard my flat being burgled.

"When I called the police they told me not to touch anything until scenes of crime officers had been out. I phoned the police station again on Sunday, but I still haven't heard from anybody.

"It's just been an absolute nightmare.

"The place has been totally ransacked. They've been through all my drawers and they've taken my daughter's Christmas presents. They took everything of value but some of it was recovered in the street afterwards."

She said burglars had put a brick through her window and taken a stereo, video, digibox, games console and games - worth more than £1,000 in total.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said police had been at the scene within six minutes of the burglary being reported by Mandy's neighbours.

About £500 of goods were recovered in the street by officers, but the burglars had already made off.

He said police had contacted City of York Council, who made sure the flat was secure while Mandy was away, and she rang the police when she returned home on Thursday. He said scenes of crime officers had attempted to contact Mandy by telephone, and had been to the flat on Sunday - three days after the burglary - but she was not at home. They left a card at her address, but she said she had been staying with friends since the incident because she did not want to disturb the crime scene. Officers finally examined the flat yesterday - five days after Mandy first contacted them and nine days after she was burgled.