The manager of an Ipswich pub has branded a man who snatched a Poppy Appeal tin from the bar yesterday morning as ‘lowlife scum’.

Ipswich Star: Someone has grabbed the Poppy Appeal tin from the Mermaid Pub in Ipswich.Someone has grabbed the Poppy Appeal tin from the Mermaid Pub in Ipswich.

Julie Markham, general manager of the Mermaid pub in Yarmouth Road, said she is going to donate £50 of her own money to the Royal British Legion appeal to make up for the loss.

The man grabbed the tin at around 9.30am yesterday, Wednesday November 9, after loitering near the bar saying he was waiting for a friend to join him for breakfast.

When bar tender Daisy Mayhew, 19, turned her back to get him a menu he snatched the tin, making off on Handford Road towards the town centre.

Mrs Markham said: “It is a charity that is really close to a lot of staff’s hearts who have family members and grand parents who went to war.

Ipswich Star: Someone has grabbed the Poppy Appeal tin from the Mermaid Pub in Ipswich. Pictured is Duty Manager Daisy Mayhew.Someone has grabbed the Poppy Appeal tin from the Mermaid Pub in Ipswich. Pictured is Duty Manager Daisy Mayhew.

“They are just lowlife scum, it’s just awful.

“They are the lowest of the low. To think they can do that and think its acceptable - it’s just not on.

“You read about things like this happening but you don’t expect it to happen to you.

“We want people to know about it as I don’t want it to happen to anybody else.”

Miss Mayhew said the man is described as of slight build with a young looking face and was wearing dark blue jeans, black jumper, black boots, he had a dark coloured parker style coat with a fur hood.

He was also wearing a black cap with a shiny embroidery emblem at the front and was carrying a rucksack on one shoulder which had two long straps trailing at the back.

A Royal British Legion spokeswoman said: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the recent theft of a poppy collecting tin.

“This loss will deprive those in the Service and ex-Service community and their families of much needed assistance and support from the Legion.

“The money raised through the Poppy Appeal and donated by such kind acts as that of the individual from The Mermaid goes directly to The Royal British Legion’s work, providing support through life to anyone who is currently serving in the British Armed Forces, veterans, and their families,” she added.

If you have any information that can help police in their investigation please call 101.