Anger after stolen charity collection tin found 'destroyed' on Gosport seafront

Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent Community First Responders said on Twitter that a charity collection box stolen from the Alverbank Hotel in Stokes Bay Road was found destroyed by the seafront yesterday morning.

The volunteers, trained by South Central Ambulance Service, can respond to 999 ambulance calls in Gosport, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hill Head and Stubbington.

First Responders coordinator Alan Parry says that the loss of any money frustrating, no matter how much was in the tin.

He said: '˜I got a message from someone to say that there was one of our collection tins left trashed in Stokes Bay.

'˜It seems to be the same one that was stolen from the Alverbank Hotel a short while ago.

'˜To have something like this happen is extremely annoying '“ the money that we raise goes directly into the community with things such as our rapid response vehicle and community defibrillators.

'To have that hindered because some clown decided to steal some charity tins from a hotel is incredibly disappointing.'

Posting on social media yesterday, Gosport and Lee-on-the-Solent Community First Responders said: 'Although this probably only contained a small amount of change every penny we raise goes towards saving lives possibly of the people who stole it in the fist place.'