ANOTHER van has been stolen from St Leonard's Hospice car park - the second in three weeks.

The charity's delivery vehicle was taken on Wednesday evening from the site in Tadcaster Road, York.

A spokesman for the charity said: "We are devastated to report that another hospice van has been stolen from the hospice car park, the second in just over three weeks after our Ford transit van was stolen in the late evening of Wednesday, June 3.

"This time it was one of our larger box vans, registration YB12 OZS, with a sign on the vehicle saying 'Sponsor a Nurse' livery.

"We are absolutely gutted and seeking secure parking for our remaining hospice vehicles.

"Please bear with us as our retail team won’t be able to operate at full capacity in the coming days. This will have a direct impact on raising funds for patient care. We will release more information if we have it once the police have been in.

""The police have been informed and the crime reference number is NYP 04072019 – 0115. If you have any information please contact the Force Control Room on 101." 

Director of Income Generation, Dawn Clement, said: “This will have a direct impact on our retail operation and reduce our ability to collect donated items, deliver items to customers and transport goods between shops.

"We are looking at increasing the security of our vehicles further as a priority, and will be replacing both vans as soon as possible, all of which will cost us money.”

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "All thefts of any description are obviously upsetting for the victims, but to target a hospice in this way is particularly despicable and saddening.

"We would urge anyone with information about these stolen vans to contact us immediately on 101 and quote reference number 1219105000."