A TERMINALLY ill patient has blasted thieves and vandals for causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to buildings owned by St David's Foundation Hospice Care.

At a time when the palliative care charity is doing all it can to raise the £4.5 million it needs each year to carry out its services, lead was stolen from the roof of the Gwent charity's Newport headquarters and a shop was vandalised.

Staff at St David's only noticed lead was missing from Cambrian House, on St John's Road, last week, after they noticed rain coming through the roof, they believe it was stolen over the weekend of July 5/6.

On the same weekend the charity's shops on Caerleon Road, Newport, was vandalised. With yobs filling doorlocks with superglue and delaying the opening on the following Monday morning.

Although the damage will be covered by insurance, it has become an administration headache St David's management say they could do without.

Fundraising Manager Kris Broome, said repairs would cost thousands of pounds and the charity was currently weighing up quotes.

Phillip Cox, 77, a former university lecturer from Llanwern, Newport, suffers from pulmonary thrombosis, a condition where blood clots develop on the lungs. Mr Cox has been cared for by St David's nurses for the past 12 months. He said: "I've no idea why someone would want to hinder or damage to good work that St David's do."

His wife, Anita, 76, said St David's nurses had been fantastic for her husband when the NHS could not attend.

If anyone would like more information on St David's Foundation or can help in fundraising for the charity they should contact Kris Broome on 01633 271364 or email kris.broome@stdavidsfoundation.co.uk or visit www.stdavidsfoundation.co.uk