CHARITY shops in Llandrindod Wells are asking people not to leave donations in doorways after bags were set on fire in the early hours.

Bags left in the doorway of the Red Cross shop were set alight in the early hours causing considerable damage and leading to the store being closed for two days.

Now the charity is asking people not to leave donations outside its shops after opening hours.

Dyfed-Powys Police, which is investigating the blaze, said all the town’s charity shops are asking people to only leave donations during opening hours.

The Victorian building on Middleton Street received fire damage to the wooden shop door (pictured left) and frame, a broken shop door window and a broken shop frontage window.

Shop assistant manager Karen Rowlands said the Monday, September 11 fire could have been far worse.

“We are always grateful to people who donate to the British Red Cross but leaving donations in the doorway is a fire hazard and bags are left there almost every day.

“We have nowhere outside the shop where people can safely leave donations so we ask that they wait until the shop is open and bring any items into the store where they can be handed safely over.

“It is always difficult making an appeal of this nature because people are obviously charitably leaving donations that can be sold to raise money for the Red Cross and we do not want to suggest in any way that anyone other than the person who set fire to these bags is responsible for what happened.

“We would just ask people to be careful and, if anyone does have any information about the fire, that they contact the police.”

A spokeswoman for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Police are investigating after bags of donations were set alight outside the Red Cross shop in Llandrindod Wells.

“Officers were called to attend the shop on Middleton Street at 1.43am on Monday, September 11.

“Damage was caused to the door and windows.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police on 101.

Those who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired can text the non-emergency number 07811 311908.