Early Christmas present hope for Hospiscare

Exeter’s local charity Hospiscare is hoping that Christmas has come early after £3,540 were left in carrier bags outside one of its city shops.

Police, who are temporarily holding the cash, have appealed for the mystery donor to come forward to confirm that they intended the money to go to the charity. If the money is not claimed it will go to Hospiscare in six weeks time.

Glynis Atherton, Hospiscare chief executive, said: “The shop manager was amazed and immediately contacted the police who are looking after the wads of £20 used notes. This sum would provide almost a whole week of 24 hour wrap around care in our hospice from our doctors and nurses. It would be a huge boost to our work.”

When shop manager Mandy Harding, pictured, opened up the Cowick Street shop she did not see the bags and it was only when a shop volunteer mentioned them that she realised they were there. “It looked bizarre because people normally people leave bags in our doorway or bring them into us, but these were just leaning against the shop window,” said Mandy.

“I thought maybe it was a homeless person’s bags or maybe their shopping so I said we should leave it for five minutes. “No customers said anything and then an older couple, probably aged 65-70 came into the shop and the man said he had found these donations outside so he had brought them in. I thanked him and took them into the sorting room.

“I was intrigued so I started to sort out one of the bags and when I saw whole wads of notes I slammed down the top of the bag and jumped back and shouted for help, to check what I had seen. My heart was racing when I looked in the second bag and saw more money. I was waiting for Jeremy Beadle to jump out.”

Mandy bundled both the bags into a bin liner and contacted the police who spent 90 minutes at the shop. The investigating sergeant does not believe the money is part of a crime. Hospiscare provides specialist help annually to 2,000 people and their families living with a terminal illness in Exeter, East and Mid Devon.

Police are currently viewing CCTV footage in the area. The generous donor is asked to contact the police by calling 101.