FURIOUS charity shop staff are hoping crooks’ luck runs out after armed raiders escaped with hundreds of pounds, and their lottery tickets.

Burglars struck at the Cancer Research shop, in Clacton’s West Avenue.

They forced open two doors before wrenching a safe from a cupboard.

Worker Julie Youngs said: “They couldn’t find the key, so they ripped off the cupboard and took the whole safe.”

The safe contained almost £200 earmarked for the charity’s Christmas meal, as well as £120 in takings.

There were also 64 lucky dips belonging to the store’s lottery syndicate.

Mrs Youngs said: “We just pray to God the numbers don’t come up. But it’s sod’s law they will and they’ll have a big win.

“We’re angry because it’s Cancer Research, and we all know someone who has had cancer, and because all the staff are volunteers.”

Staff also discovered several large knives when they opened the shop on Wednesday morning.

One was a 2ft carving knife.

They don’t know whether the blades were to used prize open the doors, or used as weapons if the intruders were disturbed.

“It doesn’t bear thinking about,” said Mrs Youngs, who worked late on the night of the raid.

“They could have done some serious damage if they had found me there.”

The crooks also stole a charity box from the shop during Tuesday night’s raid.