Village landlords have hit out after thieves raided their pubs and stole cash from tills and games machines.

Bernard Longworth and his wife June and son David were asleep upstairs in the Hare and Hounds Inn, Thorpe Road, Kirby, when the thieves struck.

Mr Longworth said he discovered the burglary when he went downstairs on Tuesday morning.

Shaken: Bernard Longworth, landlord of the Hare and Hounds in Thorpe Road, Kirby who lost £150 cash from tills in the raid. Picture: STEVE BRADING

He said: "I got up to clean the pub and I thought it was cold I didn't notice the door was open."

Mr Longworth said he noticed the tills were missing but thought his son had taken them upstairs for the night.

But then he saw the broken glass from the window and realised the tills and about £150 in cash were missing.

"It felt horrible. It was £150 we could not afford to lose. We can't let them get away with it," he said.

Police are now investigating whether there is a link with other recent burglaries at pubs in the area.

Anyone with information should call Clacton police on 01255 221312.

Published Wednesday, January 29, 2003

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