A woman has described her heartbreak after a charity shop dedicated to her late mother was vandalised, just hours after the store was opened to the public.

Eastern Daily Press: The sign on the alleyway near New Look was vandalised just hours after the store opening. Pictue: Contributed by Jade Dickerson.The sign on the alleyway near New Look was vandalised just hours after the store opening. Pictue: Contributed by Jade Dickerson. (Image: Archant)

Jade Dickerson, from Beccles, was disappointed to see the Nanny Julies sign taken to with black spray paint on Saturday morning.

The mother-of-two said: 'I was taking my little girl to dancing lessons and we noticed that the sign, which was in the alleyway next to New Look, had been spray painted.'

'It was when my little girl said 'why has someone drawn over the sign?', I didn't know what to say.'

Nanny Julies was opened last Friday, March 8, by her daughter Layla, who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth.

Eastern Daily Press: Five-year-old Layla pictured with her late grandmother, Julie Dickerson. Picture: Contributed by Dickerson familyFive-year-old Layla pictured with her late grandmother, Julie Dickerson. Picture: Contributed by Dickerson family (Image: Archant)

The charity shop, on Hungate in Beccles, is lovingly named after David Dickerson's late wife and grandmother to Layla, Julie.

'We have worked really hard to set up for my mum who passed away and for my daughter who has cystic fibrosis. We are so grateful to everyone who has supported us, but just so upset that someone has done this as this is so close to our heart,' she said.

'We named it Nanny Julie because that is what my little girl called her. Layla was very close to her grandmother and they absolutely adored each other.

'She would be so proud of her and how she copes every day - her wish was that a cure could be found and we feel this is the perfect way to keep her memory alive.

The 28-year-old thanked the community for their support after she was flooded with advice on how to remove the black paint.

'We have been lucky because so many people offered to help to clean it,' she said.

On Friday, five-year-old Layla cut the ribbon to open the charity store.

'It was brilliant, so many people came the turnout was amazing,' Miss Dickerson said.

According to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, the illness is an inherited disease caused by a faulty gene which controls the movement of salt and water in and out of cells, so the lungs and digestive system become clogged with mucus.