Callous thieves smashed their way into Glasgow's largest foodbank stealing thousands of pounds worth of Tesco vouchers, clothes and an iPad.

Around £1300 in cash was also nabbed during robbery at the Greater Maryhill Foodbank which is thought to have happened over the weekend.

The raiders managed to open a safe containing the supermarket vouchers and cash which was to be used to send Chelsea Somerville and her family on holiday.

Chelsea was injured during a car accident last year on nearby Sandbank Drive.

Her friend Sophie Brannan,11, was killed in the crash on November 14 2014.

Julie Webster, who set up the foodbank two years ago after seeing the need from locals was astounded to discover the centre on Chapel Street had been broken into.

Fighting back tears, Julie told the Evening Times: "I just can't believe someone would do this to us.

"I'd rather that they had robbed my house than robbed this place.

"This is the most disgusting act of inhumane behaviour I've ever seen in my whole life.

"I have got people who come to my door on their knees, and somebody has robbed us like this.

"It's unforgivable."

Thieves broke into the foodbank, which is run from a storage unit in Maryhill, by making a hole in the corrugated iron roof.

Dented pipes on the wall showed how they managed to lower themselves into the room and help themselves to piles of new clothes waiting to be handed out to the needy over winter.

The centre, staffed by around two dozen volunteers, helps more than 1000 people each month with clothes, food and support.

Julie said: "We were planning to start a new project on Wednesday where the clothes would be brought down and displayed for the service users to pick from.

"It was going to be for asylum seekers in the area.

"We're not going to be able to do that now. The biggest thing is the money for Chelsea, the wee girl who got knocked down on Sandbank Street.

"We had raised £500 at Christmas and we had raised a further £800 before that.

"That was going to be put towards sending the family on holiday but it's gone now.

"They've walked away with all of that."

The robbery, Julie said, will have a "massive" impact on the service she and her 26 volunteers can offer.

She said: "This isn't just a foodbank, it's a community hub. It is where people feel valued and feel like they mean something, a place of sanctuary.

"I've worked so hard to create a safe environment over the past two years, and now it doesn't feel like the foodbank anymore.

"When they've come through that hole in the roof, they've seen baby food, nappies, tins, clothes, and they've still stolen from us.

"This is a slap in the face.

"If somebody needed help, all they would have to do is come in here and ask me."

Mark Grant, the foodbank's driver, was the one who discovered the catastrophe when he opened the centre yesterday morning.

He said: "We just can't believe it.

"The police came and they helped us so much yesterday, they were really good.

"We just hope they find out who has done it because it's disgusting.

"I just don't know why someone would do this."

Police said enquiries were ongoing into the robbery, which was reported at 8.45am yesterday.

Anyone interested in helping the Greater Maryhill Foodbank can contact them on 0141 946 6828, find them on Facebook or call into the centre at 61 Chapel Street, Maryhill.

hannah.rodger@eveningtimes.co.uk