BURGLARS struck while a man was away from home with his sick wife in hospital.

The thieves took £400 worth of charity money from Geoff Willis's house in Farnworth.

The money belonged to the Bassett Fund, a charity that raises money for two Bolton drop-in centres for people with mental health problems.

Mr Willis, aged 60, was staying at the Royal Bolton Hospital for three days with his wife Margaret, who had been admitted with heart problems. She was later diagnosed with angina.

On returning home last Thursday, Mr Willis found that the back door had been forced and items such as a mobile phone, a gold chain and the money had been taken.

"I just want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else in the area," said Mr Willis.

"They targeted us when we were at a bad time, with me staying with my wife in hospital.

"You can't even visit hospital now without being robbed.

"I am just so angry that they have stolen charity money because it doesn't belong to us. It would usually be banked straight away but, with my wife going into hospital, it was put off.

"The police told us there have been quite a few burglaries around this area and that they are all the same and people need to be made aware.

"The thieves only take what they carry and always force the back door."

Insp Chris Makin, who is based in Farnworth, said: "We are aware of the problem in that particular area because there have been a few break-ins.

"We are currently running an operation to tackle the problem."