Kings Head pub in Great Cornard in disbelief following theft of donations for Smile of Arran cancer charity

A manager of a pub has expressed her disbelief after donations in aid of a cancer charity close to her heart were stolen.

Saffron Peters, who works at the Kings Head in Bures Road in Great Cornard, noticed money was missing while counting out the donations collected in a charity box.

Shocked by the incident, she has condemned the callous actions of the individual responsible for the theft.

“It’s awful,” said Ms Peters. “It’s just devastating to know that someone would come into the pub and do something like that.

“We’ve never had anything like this happen before, so it puts a dampener on people’s spirits.”

A total of £15 is thought to have been stolen from the charity box, which was placed at the bar to raise funds for The Smile of Arran Trust.

The brain tumour charity was set up in memory of 13-year-old Arran Tosh, who died in 2014, just days after he was diagnosed with the disease.

A music festival is staged each year to pay tribute to the Sudbury teenager to help raise funds to support other families affected by brain tumours.

The youngster often busked on the streets to raise money for Cancer Research, inspired by his auntie and a family friend, who suffered from the disease.

Following his death, an online fundraising appeal continued to raise more than £20,000 for a charity head shave.

Serving as a treasurer on the trust’s committee, Ms Peters was left dumbfounded that someone could deny the charity of vital funds.

“It’s really upsetting, I’m part of the charity and I know the family, so it is heartbreaking,” she said, adding that it was doubtful that the stolen donations would be returned.

“Unfortunately, I don’t think they will be; it would be nice, but I don’t think it will happen.”

Aimed at generating further funds for the charity, while raising awareness of brain tumours, Ms Peters is keen to organise a family fun day at the pub next month, with a range of attractions and food.