HAPLESS crooks cut themselves on a till as they tried to force it open – despite the keys being left nearby.

Fancy Nancy, in Rectory Grove, Leigh, was broken into on Sunday night when thieves smashed through windows at the front of the cake shop.

They stole the till, with a small amount of cash, but it was found covered in blood by police in nearby Billet Lane, suggesting the thieves had injured themselves as they struggled to open it.

Juliet Sear, owner of the shop, said the thieves had caused a lot of damage, but it was open as usual.

She said: “They smashed through the front door and took the till out, and the police found it later in bits and pieces around the corner with blood all over it.

“It’s an old shop and the glass is really thick, so when they broke it, it was like an explosion, but police don’t think they injured themselves there because there was no blood in the shop.

“It looks like they’ve tried to jam it open and cut themselves – but they were a bit stupid because my dad left the keys in it – they could have just pushed the button and got the money.”

Fancy Nancy has been trading in Leigh for seven years and has had a number of high-profile clients, including Alexa Chung, Peaches Geldof, Fearne Cotton and Prince Harry, as well as upmarket stores Fortnum and Mason and Harvey Nichols.

A police spokesman said: “Police were called just before 7am on Monday. It appears the till was stolen, but was recovered nearby.”

Anybody with any information or who saw anything suspicious is asked to contact officers at Southend on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously at crimestoppers-uk.org or 0800 555111.