A charity that rescues orphans from lives of sexual slavery and violence has been dealt a blow at its busiest time of the year.

Thieves broke into Stella's Voice in Peterhead on Wednesday night and cut the fuel lines of a van the charity uses to collect donations for its festive appeal.

They escaped with just £30 worth of diesel but caused £750 worth of damage to the van and put it off the road.

The charity, which is in the process of shipping 800 parcels to vulnerable children in Moldova, has been forced to borrow another vehicle while the damage is repaired.

Stella's Voice director Mark Morgan said: "This is our crazy weekend because next week we have a load which will leave for Moldova filled with Christmas parcels, food and supplies.

"The truck didn't get out to do the collections and we're £750 out of pocket - money which is being diverted away from the charity.

"It's well known that we're a charity and the fact that somebody would steal from us at this time of year is hard to take."

Stella's Voice works to rescue parentless Moldovan children from human traffickers.

"Moldova is the poorest country in Europe and there are a lot of children in orphanages," Mr Morgan said.

"At the age of 16 they're kicked out and most have nowhere to go. Many of them are trafficked - with the girls it's sex trafficking and with the guys it's for labour.

"We have houses where we take them in a look after them, help with their schooling and put them through university."

A Police Scotland spokeswoman confirmed the force is investigating the theft.