Cafe owner Mandy Shade where the collection box was stolen

Thieves who stole a collection box to raise money for a poorly tot have been slammed as "despicable".

Almost £65,000 has been collected for three-year-old Oliver Smith, who has the childhood cancer neuroblastoma.

Since June last year, generous people on the Isle of Sheppey have been digging deep to help his family reach the £150,000 needed to pay for treatment in Germany, which the toddler will need if his condition gets worse.

One collection box was on the counter of the Boathouse Cafe, in Barton’s Point Coastal Park, off Marine Parade, Sheerness.

But just £55 had been collected before thieves struck.

Branding the culpripts "despicable", cafe owner Mandy Shade said: “It’s taken quite a while to get to that amount.

“I think it’s very sad anyone would do that and I want to warn people of the dangers of putting a charity box on view.”

Oliver’s mum Natalie, of Coral Road, Minster, said: “You couldn’t print what I really want to say about these people but it’s disgusting and I’m very disappointed.

“Please, if anyone has any information, contact the police.”

The theft took place between 3.45pm and 3.55pm on Saturday, January 7.

There is no CCTV footage, but police have been given a description of a group of men reported to have entered the cafe.

One is aged about 19, slim, clean shaven and was wearing a black woollen hat with a blue striped top and dark trousers.

The second man is white, but there is not a description of the third man reported to have been with the group.

Insp Phil Hibben said: “Stealing a charity box is a despicable crime.

“We are very keen to speak to anyone who may have information about this crime, but would particularly like to speak to the men who were dining at the cafe when the theft took place.”

Anyone with information is asked to phone police on 101, quoting crime reference XY/738/12.