A Norwich-based charity which supports people with disabilities will have to close for up to a week after burglars forced their way into the site over the weekend.

Police are investigating the break in at the Norfolk and Norwich Scope Association (NANSA) store on Aylsham Road which happened sometime between 4pm on Saturday<8>and 10.45am on Sunday<9>.

More than £280 was taken in following the burglary which happened after offenders removed the back gate before forcing open the door.

They then searched a filing cabinet before forcing open a safe, stealing about £260 from inside, while taking £20 from the till.

Sheila Parish, chief executive officer of NANSA described the break-in as a 'huge blow' and said it would be at least a week before the store could re-open.

She said: 'I'm so upset about it - dreadfully upset. It's had a huge affect because the shop is not just a charity shop; we also use it as a workshop offering practical retail skills to a number of young adults with learning difficulties.

'Because they broke the back door we've had to take it off and have it boarded up which means we've had to close the shop on health and safety grounds.'

Mrs Parish expects the store to be closed for a week meaning people on the training programme have had to be relocated to other branches so as not to disrupt their learning while it is closed.

She said: 'Staff, clients and learners are so upset. They are dreadfully upset that someone would break in and take the money. The money that was taken was just a day's takings which doesn't seem a lot but when you add the cost of the damage, the staff time...it's a very major issue. Our customers, who are wonderful, will also lose the services for the time being as well.'

She appealed for anyone who knows anything about the break-in to contact police with information so those responsible can be brought to justice.

A police spokesman confirmed they are investigating the break in and have appealed for those with information to come forward.

NANSA, which has five other charity shops in the Norwich area, including Earlham, Thorpe St Andrew, Hall Road in Norwich, New Costessey and Hellesdon, is an independent charity which has been helping people with disabilities for more than 50 years.

It is not the only charity shop in the Aylsham Road area to have been targeted by burglars in the past year. In December burglars smashed a side window at the Samaritans shop before stealing clothing stock worth £300 and other items, including tea, coffee and sugar.

The break-in, between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day was the second time the shop had been burgled in just a few weeks following an incident on November 6.

Anyone with information about the NANSA burglary should contact PC Matt Boiles on 101.