A CALLOUS thief broke into a pensioner's bedroom while she slept - robbing cash she had tirelessly raised for a Preston cancer charity.

Ethel Cracknell, 71, who has just won her own battle against cancer, woke to find the burglar next to her bed stealing her jewellery and the £152 she had raised for the Royal Preston Hospital cancer unit.

The heartless thief had even cut two bracelets from her wrist and stole £100 cash she was saving to take her daughter on holiday.

But brave Ethel, clearly shaken by the incident, has vowed to still take part in an eight mile sponsored walk from Blackpool to Fleetwood on Sunday.

Ethel, of Clifton House sheltered accommodation, had a cancerous breast removed two years ago and only last week was given the all-clear and told she didn't have to come back for nine months.

She said: "When I was given the results I was ecstatic - over the moon. Now this has happened I just feel sick.

"I'm devastated about the sponsor money, a lot of kind people had paid me up-front. The burglar also cut a bracelet off my wrist. The residents at Clifton House had bought it for me for my 70th birthday. It was irreplaceable."

Ethel pulled the emergency cord when she saw the man - dressed in black - next to her bed, but he had fled by the time the warden arrived. He had broken in through the lounge window.

She said: "I was terrified. I was shouting 'there's someone in my room'. It was difficult to get a close look because it was dark."

If you want to help Ethel's sponsored walk can call the Preston Citizen Newsdesk on 01772 885711.

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