DISABLED Susan McIlwraith wanted to honour her dead sister by collecting money for a cancer charity through donations for the Christmas decorations outside her home.

But just a few days into her festive fundraising a criminal Grinch has swiped the collection box.

Mrs McIlwraith, who is recovering from an operation and suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lost her sister Rose to breast cancer in September.

She believes the crook who took the collection box — which had a Macmillan Cancer Support logo on it — from outside her Nuffield Close home in Bicester probably escaped with just £20.

The 57-year-old and her husband Brian, 57, have been festively decorating their home for the past 10 Christmases and collecting money for the past four.

Mrs McIlwraith said: “If they can do that to a charity, then what else can they do? I just can’t believe it.

“We left the box out on the post each night – we just didn’t think anyone would take it, but someone did.

“I lost my sister in September and we thought it would be appropriate to collect money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

“It has been a difficult couple of months.

“My husband went out at about 8.30 in the morning and said ‘somebody’s taken the box’.

“We phoned the police, but there’s not much they can do.”

The thief struck between 10pm on Sunday and 8.30am on Monday.

Determined not to let the thief win, the couple are still inviting well-wishers to visit their light display in aid of charity, but are now using a collection bucket which they keep locked away at night.

Mrs McIlwraith said: “The decorations look lovely. People come with their little children and we give them sweets.

“We’ve got an eight foot Santa, and lots and lots of lights all around the windows, stars and an angel.”

A police spokesman asked anyone with information to call Pc Evonne Beckett on 101 or the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555111.