A BRAZEN thief has stolen hundreds of pounds of charity donations after breaking open a Second World War mine.

Two padlocks were chiselled off so that a trapdoor in the top of the defunct mine could be opened.

Hundreds of coins that had been dropped inside the mine on Poole Quay - to help with the running of the town's lifeboats - were taken.

The theft has sickened the lifeboat crew and supporters.

"I'm gobsmacked that someone can do this, and a bit surprised that someone has been so brazen because the mine is in full view of the lifting bridge and we're pretty sure it was done during the daytime," said John Carter, secretary of Poole Lifeboat Station.

When the mine was emptied of donations last summer it contained a few hundred pounds - although weathering meant it took a few days to clean up the coins before they could be banked.

The donations are sent to an RNLI central fund.

"It costs a lot to run the RNLI, around £100 million a year, so every little bit of help counts, whether it is a collection box on a pub bar or a mine outside a station," explained Mr Carter.

Coxswain Jonathan Clark said: "We rely totally on the support of the public as we do not receive any financial assistance from the government."

He said people passing the station often dropped loose change into the mine.

Coming so soon after a highly successful flag day, Mr Clark described the theft as "sickening" and added: "It has cancelled out all our efforts on flag day."

The lifeboat station is now planning to empty the mine at more regular intervals and put up notices to that effect to deter would-be thieves.

It is hoped that an open day this Sunday, when the public can tour the Poole lifeboat station, will help raise fresh funds.