Bristol pub digs in after charity tin theft

A pub landlady has promised to replace money collected for a dog charity that was stolen from a Bristol bar.

Rhona Murdoch, who runs The Victoria in Westbury-on-Trym, was disgusted when a charity tin left in The Woods bar on Park Street Avenue, Clifton, was stolen.

The tin had about £60 in it, collected by Rowena Hicks after her boyfriend Colin Fraser ran the Bristol Half Marathon in aid of the Bristol-based DogsFriends.

After the race, Miss Hicks, of Woodland Way, Kingswood, went with friends to the bar to celebrate Mr Fraser's 31st birthday and accidentally left the tin in the toilet.

When she returned five minutes later it had gone, and was later found empty near the bar's bins.

Miss Murdoch, 30, said: "I can't believe that someone would stoop so low as to take charity money.

"When our customers heard about it they insisted that we raise the funds to reimburse the charity."

Miss Hicks, the director of a health and safety company, said she was delighted that the pub had come forward to help.

She said: "I was really upset so it is really nice of them to replace the money, and I am very grateful. It means a lot to me, and I know it will to all the volunteers who work at DogsFriends."

Reliving the moment she realised the tin had been stolen, Miss Hicks, said: "It was awful.

"It was about £60, but we didn't even have the chance to count it. Someone probably spent it on a load of drinks. It is terrible, really. I don't know how they sleep at night."