The manager of Oxfam’s first shop is heading an appeal for people to donate vintage clothes after a major warehouse fire.

The blaze in Huddersfield earlier this month destroyed hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of donations to the charity.

Jan Tansley, who runs the store in Broad Street, Oxford, said: “The fire destroyed best-quality clothes that were destined to be sold at festivals, including Glastonbury.

“What we need now are vintage and wacky clothes and Oxford people, academics in particular, have been good at giving things like that since the 60s.

“We have had fantastic things here, like Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood designer clothes. Now we would welcome good things to replace those lost.”

The Oxford-based international charity faces the greatest loss of donations since it opened the shop 69 years ago.

The fire on April 30 destroyed the charity’s key warehouse, Wastesaver, in Huddersfield.

Ms Tansley said: “Much of the stock destroyed was destined for festival shops which last year raised £250,000.

Oxfam spokesman Stuart Foukes said: “When you take a gift into an Oxfam shop, say in Oxfordshire, it may well be sent to Wastesaver for sorting. Some is then sent to disaster areas like Haiti, and some, perhaps vintage clothes or designer labels, are sold online at Oxfam.org.uk/shop And that is where Oxford shops are at the forefront.”

Oxfam trading director David McCullough said: “We will be back up to full operations again very soon, but the situation is so severe and unprecedented that we’ve launched an emergency appeal for stock for the first time in our history.

“Now more than ever, we urgently need donations so we can keep raising money for our work around the world.”