CHARITY shop bosses hard hit by the effects of foot and mouth are pleading for support from local people.

The Imperial Cancer Research Fund has 430 shops, many of which it says have seen sales plummet as a result of the outbreak.

A number of its shops in the local area have been badly hit by the crisis, including the branch in Bridge Street, Congleton.

The town has suffered from two confirmed cases of foot and mouth, both at Astbury, at The Willows and Oak Farm.

"Many of our stores are suffering from a severe drop in sales as a result of the foot and mouth crisis,'' said Andrea Hogan, the fund's head of northern retail.

"The majority of our shops are in local towns and villages, and many have been severely affected by the disaster.

"Our shops are run almost entirely by volunteers, and many of them are battling in to make sure their shops remain open."

She stressed that the fund shops relied on the generosity of local people to bring in their donations of second-hand clothing and household goods.

"If people can get along to the store in Bridge Street, Congleton, please visit us," added Andrea.

Congleton Chamber of Trade president Ian Swann confirmed there had been a drop in the number of shoppers in the town since the outbreak of the disease.