THIEVES have stolen charity money from an historic WWII mine.

Staff at the Kings Arms pub, Trinity Street, Weymouth, were shocked to discover the mine used for years as a collection box for the RNLI had been broken into.

Jo Evans, manager of the pub, said: “We came in this morning and it was right down the street in the alleyway.

“The collection money for the RNLI is all gone, there’s nothing left. It hadn’t been emptied in four years so there would have been a fair amount in there, probably hundreds of pounds.

“Basically they’ve stolen the charity’s money.

“It’s disgusting, absolutely disgusting. The mine has always been there, people always walk by and stop to read it, it’s part of history.”

A spokesman for the RNLI said: “The mine-shaped collection box belongs to the Kings Arms pub which is a longstanding supporter of the RNLI – there are two RNLI collection boxes inside the pub which are regularly emptied and the funds given to the charity’s local fundraisers.

“We are very sorry to hear that the pub’s fundraising efforts have been affected by this vandalism and theft and condemn those responsible.”

A Dorset Police spokesman said: “It was reported that the World War II mine used by the RNLI had been rolled away and found in an alleyway nearby.

“The offenders had unscrewed the bottom and taken cash of an unknown value from inside.

“We are appealing for anyone who saw or heard anything or knows about this incident to get in contact.”

Anyone with information can contact Dorset Police on 101.