A charity has been left devastated after a van worth £25,000 was stolen.

The vehicle was taken from the Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice's retail distribution centre at 12-15 Bellegrove Parade in Welling.

The white Ford Transit Luton boxed van, registration number VN61 ZPR, was taken on Saturday, March 1 between 5.30pm and 9pm.

The van was used daily to move donated stock between its 17 shops and to collect and deliver furniture to customers across the boroughs of Greenwich and Bexley.

Betty Sorrell, head of retail, said the charity will lose out on thousands of pounds because they cannot move their stock around and cannot pick up stock from donaters.

Betty Sorrell, head of retail, said: "Everyone is shocked, it is a vital resource and the volunteers just cannot believe it has been stolen. "The funds it helped raise were used to support the hospice's patients with life threatening illnesses, their families and carers."

The van was last seen by hospice staff at 5.30pm and later seen being driven down Wickham Lane in Welling after 9pm on Saturday (1st March) evening.

Police are checking CCTV footage in the area.

The van is white and has Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice printed across the side and across the front.

If you have any information about the theft please contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.