A pay and display machine was stolen from a council car park – but thieves only got away with a measly £2.

Police were alerted after the meter in St Martin’s Avenue, Canterbury, was ripped out of the ground over the weekend.

But city council spokesman Rob Davies says only £2 was in the machine at the time.

“There is little point people targeting our machines because they are emptied daily so the effort to get them out of the ground and break into them is really not worth the returns on offer,” he said.

“In addition, more and more people are paying by card which means there is less cash in them.

“The police have been informed and are investigating.”

A machine in the Reculver Towers car park in Herne Bay, which had about £36 inside it, was also removed over the weekend.

Mr Davies says both meters will be replaced and the issue has been passed to the council’s insurer.