DIRTY nappies and empty ice cream cartons have been 'donated' to a charity shop which raises money for The Fed.

The Charity Box shop raises an annual £40,000 for The Fed by re-selling good-quality second hand items.

However, recently the shop has been inundated with items it cannot sell on like dirty nappies, urine-stained bedding, battered toys and broken security lights.

Karen Morse runs the shop in Bury Old Road, Cheetham Hill and the influx of rubbish means The Fed is having to foot the bill for a skip to get rid of other people's waste.

She said: "By and large, we receive fantastic stuff, mostly from private donors, but also from some businesses that send us brand-new perfect “overs” or slight seconds.

"But recently we’ve been inundated with things that we are unable to sell.

"Some came in from a recent Sunday Shop Drop when donors dropped bags of goods off at a local venue, and some were left at the back of the shop.

"We’ve received broken security lights, urine-stained bedding and battered toys with essential parts missing.

"Sorting through the bags is very time-consuming and discovering they contain rubbish is so demoralising.

"Cathy and I literally wanted to cry when we saw some of the things people sent us. And then we have to dispose of anything we can’t sell and hire skips to do so.

"It actually costs The Fed to get rid of other people’s rubbish!

"I want to emphasise that the majority of people give us goods which are in brilliant condition but there are some people who need to think a bit more carefully about what they give us”.

Good quality used and new goods can be delivered to The Fed’s Charity Box shop at 62 Bury Old Rd, Manchester M8 5BN or to Heathlands Village, Heathlands drive, Prestwich M25 9SB.

Anyone unable to deliver the goods should call shop staff on 0161 492 0422 and they will try to arrange a collection.