Pubs unite against charity box thieves

A pub that had its charity boxes stolen in a raid by burglars is fighting back with a day of special events.

Heartless thieves broke into the Seven Stars in Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth, in May and made off with £400 in takings and an estimated £500 from three charity boxes.

Rick Smith, licensee at the Enterprise Inns pub, said: "I lost my night's takings which I can take on the chin because I left myself vulnerable but for someone to take the charity boxes is so low because some things are supposed to be sacrosanct.

"The customers were absolutely devastated that the money they raised had been stolen."

The cash had been collected for the charities Help for Heroes, the Royal British Legion and the RAF Wings Appeal.

But in a bid to re-raise the funds the Seven Stars has teamed-up with two other pubs in the village - the King's Arms and the Queen's Arms - for a day of fundraising activities.

On Saturday (August 15) staff and customers at the three pubs are due to take part in a darts marathon, with teams from each pub aiming to be the first to get down from a score of 50,001.

There will also be a drag race - for people wearing suitable clothes - a tug-of-war, auction and a barrel race between the three pubs.

Smith said he was confident the activities will have helped match the £500.

"I think we will get way over it when everything is added up," he said.

"The pubs here have always tried to help each other rather than see ourselves as competition.

"We all have different markets and this has helped us all succeed. The charity day is another example of the pubs and the community working together."

So far police have failed to charge anybody in relation to the burglary at the Seven Stars.