A former charity worker has been jailed after she stole £30,000 she made from selling donated Alton Towers and Legoland tickets intended for children with cancer.

Heidi Bucknall, 32, of Tyburn Close, Bestwood, Nottinghamshire, started working for the Parents Association for Seriously Ill Children in 2012.

The charity supports families of children with cancer across the East Midlands and uses donations to organise trips, including to theme parks and other attractions.

Bucknall’s offending took place between June 2015 and April 2021 while she was organising theme park trips.

She kept the donated tickets for herself and sold them on eBay while organising grants to be paid into fake family accounts.

An investigation found the accounts were linked to Bucknall, Nottinghamshire Police said. 

Bucknall also stole two thermometers donated to the charity and sold them online.

The crimes were uncovered when a company that provided free tickets found them for sale on eBay. 

“Inquiries found the eBay account was indirectly linked to Bucknall, who broke down in tears when questioned by her manager,” police said.

“Bucknall admitted the eBay account was linked to a PayPal account belonging to one of her relatives, who she insisted had no knowledge of her fraudulent conduct.”

The matter was reported to Nottinghamshire Police and Bucknall attended a voluntary interview on 14 July 2021, during which she admitted receiving up to £3,000-a-year by selling donated tickets online.

Further fraud involving false family grants was uncovered later in the investigation and Bucknall was arrested and interviewed on 15 March 2022, during which she confessed to the crime.

“She told officers she knew her actions were ‘wrong’ but that she’d been under pressure to provide money to an ex-partner,” Nottinghamshire Police said.

Bucknall admitted to five counts of fraud by false position and three counts of concealing criminal property.

She appeared in Nottingham Crown Court on 5 July and was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.

Louise Towse, chief executive of PASIC, said: “Providing support and comfort to families facing the devastation of childhood cancer has always been, and remains, our priority.

“We would like to reassure all our supporters, beneficiaries, and colleagues that our charity is in good health and our work continues as normal.

“Since the incident was uncovered in 2021, we have conducted a thorough review of governance and financial controls to ensure such misappropriation cannot be allowed to happen in the future.

Detective Constable Haynes said the Bucknall’s actions had a profound impact on a “fantastic charity” and the lives of those connected to it.

She said: “Money and tickets that could have helped the families of very sick children was selfishly pocketed by Bucknall and nothing can excuse her actions.

“I would like to thank PASIC for working closely with us to expose Bucknall’s criminal actions and bring her to justice.”