A MOTHER of three says her family’s Christmas has been ruined after burglars grabbed more than £500 worth of presents from under the tree.

Helen Bunker, 42, was distraught when she made the discovery on Monday morning after waking up from a nap. She had taken her 15-year-old son, Ben, to school around 8am before going back to bed with a headache. When she came downstairs around 11am, she found the presents had gone and the back door ajar.

The former Royal Voluntary Service worker, of Elliman Avenue, Slough, said: “When you’ve had a really bad time you just don’t believe it. You just don’t believe people will do this kind of thing.

“Christmas is ruined.”

Ms Bunker has not been able to work for six months as she suffers from depression and anxiety.

This was compounded in October when her mother, Margaret, a fit and healthy 76-year-old, passed away suddenly on Halloween as a result of a blood clot on her lung.

Ms Bunker had also saved extensively over the year to be able to afford presents for her three children.

However, there now may be a glimmer of light.

Her friend, Amanda Vallence, 30, who lives in Newbury, has set up a fundraising page to try to recoup recuperate the loss of the gifts.

She told this newspaper: “If that happened to me, how would I feel?

“Helen is always helping people and has had a very tough time and I thought I would try and make some money for her to replace the presents.”

More than £500 worth of presents were stolen in the burglary in broad daylight, and that figure does not include the gifts that others have given to the Ms Bunker and her family.

The gifts she had bought included two Playstation 4 games, a Burberry handbag, a Nerf gun, Lego sets, Star Wars merchandise, and a Lynx cosmetics set.

Thieves also took a number of Christmas cards that were sealed and waiting to be posted – possibly in the belief that they may have contained cash.

Police are investigating the burglary, Ms Bunker said.

The back door leads in to the garden which has high fences so it is believed the offenders entered through the side gate. She added: “People need to lock their doors, even if they’re at home.”

To help the family you can donate at online, https://www.gofundme.com/lets-give-them-christmas-back