The owner of a Cromer hair salon has described the shock of having her premises 'ransacked' and her wedding fund stolen.

%image(14602715, type="article-full", alt="The till at Genesis Hair Creation had been forced open and "ransacked". Photo: Jessica Frank-Keyes")

Shelley Rudman, co-owner of Genesis Hair Creation discovered the salon had been broken into when she arrived at work on Tuesday, November 13.

Miss Rudman, 40, said: 'I dropped some things at the front door and saw the back door was wide open but just thought it was one of the girls.

'Then we came in and saw the till had been ransacked.'

Thieves had stolen £70 in notes, as well as change, from the till and £211 from a jar where the bride-to-be had been saving money to pay for her wedding venue.

%image(14602716, type="article-full", alt="The back door key was taken along with this keyring, which salon staff are hoping may help trace the culprits. Photo: Lauren Miller")

She said: 'I'd just got back from holiday and I thought I'll start putting a bit away each week.

'I'd only put 100 quid from my wages aside for two weeks, and thought when there's a bit more in there I'll take it home.'

And Miss Rudman's co-owner Lauren Miller, 25, said: 'We don't normally leave any money in the premises overnight but the last client paid cash and the bank had already closed.

'We normally take the back door key home with us, but that's been taken so we need to get the locks changed.'

%image(14602717, type="article-full", alt="Shelley Rudman, left, and Lauren Miller, right, co-owners of Genesis Hair Salon on Hamiton Road, Cromer. Photo: Jessica Frank-Keyes")

Miss Rudman, from Catfield, had been putting money aside to fund the venue - The Oaklands Hotel, in Norwich - for her June 2019 wedding to fiancé Matthew Pike, who works at architectural firm, Pike Partnership, next door.

She said: 'I don't think it will be returned. If it was two grand, you think 'how stupid to leave it out'.

'But when you lock your house it's the same thing - you don't expect someone to break in.'

Miss Miller, from Attlebridge, added: 'We think they came in through the window and left through the back door.

'It's a bit worrying that they've been through our stuff - its unnerving.

'They've taken nothing but cash, even though the products and the electrical tools are both worth more.'

A Norfolk police spokesperson said: 'We are appealing for information following a burglary in Cromer overnight.

'A quantity of cash was stolen from a property on Hamilton Road between approximately 5pm last night and 9am this morning.'

Anyone with information is asked to contact Norfolk Police on 101 quoting crime number 100 or November 13, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.