The charity shop in Abergavenny which was badly damaged by flooding is not expected to reopen until Monday, October 24.

When police gained access to the flat above the Cats’ Protection shop in Frogmore Street they discovered a cannabis farm there.

Much of the shop’s stock, including all the jigsaws and many of the books, had been destroyed by the water. Some of the clothes, however, were salvaged and washed by volunteers from the charity’s Gwent branch.

The shop now has a new ceiling and a new floor is currently being laid.

Manager Julie Sijenje said, "We have had eight dehumidifiers in the shop which I have been emptying twice a day. We cannot reopen until the repair work has been completed and the shop has dried out.

"We are grateful for the work carried out by our volunteers but now we need the public to help us get back on track as we have lost thousands of pounds’ income from the forced shutdown."

The charity has an autumn sale next Saturday (October 8) at New Inn Community Hall and the following weekend (October 15) there will be an adoption day in the St John Ambulance Brigade Hall in Fairfield car park, Abergavenny when many of the 40 plus cats and kittens in care will be on show.