Kind-hearted readers  have more than tripled the  charity sponsorship money  that was stolen from a disabled woman’s Chester  home.

People in the city reacted  with shock and disbelief two  weeks ago when The Chronicle ran the story of wheelchair-bound Angela Underhill, who was left terrified  after a thief broke into her  Hoole home and stole the  £240 she had raised from  taking part in Race for Life  the day before.

Angela, 51, who has multiple sclerosis, had to cower  in her bathroom as the intruder rifled through her  purse before fleeing  through the front door.

When Angela’s carer  Mark Rushan, who had  only popped out to the shop  for 10 minutes, returned,  they discovered more than  £300 had been taken altogether.

Already exhausted from  the gruelling 5k event  which she did at the specially wheelchair accessible Birkenhead Park, Angela has since struggled to  sleep since the incident on  July 23.

But some generous  Chronicle readers have  managed to lift her spirits  by donating money to the  cancer charity she had  raised funds for – bringing  the grand total of sponsorship, which includes  gift-aid, to £1,200.

One man was so touched  at Angela’s story that he  anonymously delivered an  envelope containing £300 to  the Chronicle office this  week, while a collection by  the congregation at Angela’s church, All Saints in  Hoole, has raised more  than £400.

The former chef, whose  illness means she is unable  to work, said she has been  ‘overwhelmed’ with  people’s kindness.

“It’s just absolutely incredible. Never in a million  years did I imagine people  would donate more than 10  times the amount of money  I originally raised.

“This type of thing really  does restore your faith in  humanity; after such a horrible thing to happen, there  has been some positivity to  take from it,” she said.

“Everyone has been so  good to me.

“The man who gave me  £300 left me such a wonderful, sincere note that it  made me cry.

“I just wish I could thank  him personally. The gratitude of people like that  makes everything seem  worthwhile.

“Also The Housing Association have changed my  locks free of charge, the police have just been so sensitive and brilliant - everyone in general have just  been incredible and I just  want to say a massive  thank you to everyone.”

Angela is already planning her next charity feat -  a parachute jump next  year, which will raise  money for a street pastors  charity and The Ethiopia  Fund.

But this time she won’t  be keeping hold of her  sponsorship money.

“I’m not letting this incident put me off doing  other charity events, I like  to do one project a year for  charity, but I won’t be putting myself in that vulnerable position again.

“This time the money I  raise will be done through  the charity.”

Cheshire police are currently still investigating  the theft.