The owners of a Co Down petrol station devastated by a failed but destructive attempted theft have donated all the food from the shop to foodbanks in Northern Ireland.
Extensive damage was caused during the raid in Ballynahinch, which was reported to police at about 5.30am on Monday morning.
It is believed a digger was used to try and rip the cash machine from the wall of Carlisle’s filling station and convenience store on Belfast Road.
Church pastor Dario Leal revealed the kind move when he visited Carlisle’s in Ballynahinch to offer help and support.
Dario, who is 1st Ballynahinch Presbyterian Church and Cliftonville FC chaplain, said: “We just wanted to visit the store and call the owner to tell him that we, as a community, are sad for the loss of business, possibly employment and the sheer devastation that took place.
“I told him that we are praying for him, his family and employees, and offered him our church Foodbank for his staff.”
But instead the Carlisle family donated all the food in the shop that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Dario said: “There was a lot of food to be moved away. I phoned every school principal of our town to ask them if they were happy to receive the food and they were.
“I called some of the local churches, and Edengrove Presbyterian Church provided their van. We called other agencies to come and help us to move the food and distribute it properly.
“Ballynahinch High School is really close to the petrol station and their Principal came along with some students to help out, and they surely did.
“The principal became the van driver; teachers, classroom assistants and around 15 students came to clear the shelves moving everything into the two vans. They were great, we all worked hard, the heavy rain did not stop us."
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