A CHARITY planning to open its new caf for the first time this week has suffered a setback after the front window was smashed.

Headway, which helps people recovering from brain injuries, hoped to launch the caf and bookshop called Chapters and Pages in Lowesmoor, Worcester, on Monday.

Shirley Atkins-Thompson, director of Headway, said: "This is a nightmare. It's a real setback. We had just had the delivery of the tables and chairs and we were concerned that somebody might have taken the boxes but nothing was stolen.

"It could have been caused by a fight or somebody could have thrown something through the window but there's no evidence of that."

It is not now known when the caf will be able to open. The window has been boarded up and the matter is in the hands of insurers.

Mrs Atkins-Thompson added: "I know the insurance company has got procedures to go through but it just looks so ugly and it's dangerous. There's jagged glass still hanging from the frame. We're hoping it's all going to be done this week."

The incident comes just weeks after Karen Turl, the owner of another shop in Lowesmoor, called Retro, arrived at the premises to discover one of the window panels at her store had been shattered causing damage of £1,000.

A spokesman for the police confirmed the incident at Headway had happened but said that there was no sign of entry to the building.

The window was smashed between the hours of 5pm on Friday, September 8, and 8am the following day.

Police are urging anyone who witnessed the incident to call 08457 444888.