A pub has thanked the local community after over £500 was raised within a week of the premises being broken into and criminally damaged.

%image(14657603, type="article-full", alt="Lara Ingram, Fieldy's bar manager, said "The fact they stole from charity hurt more than stealing from the pub itself."")

Thieves broke into Fieldy's, on Love Road in Lowestoft, on Monday, August 5.

Video showed a man shockingly smash the pub's CCTV cameras, as well as breaking their fruit machines, pool table, jukebox, and charity collection pots to steal change inside.

The thieves took more than £500 from the till and loose change reserved for charity.

Speaking after the break in, Lara Ingram, bar manager of Fieldy's said: "The fact they stole from charity hurt more than stealing from the pub itself. I wish they hadn't done it.

%image(14657604, type="article-full", alt="Fieldy's, on Love Road in Lowestoft, held a charity day on Saturday August 11. Photo: Lara Ingram")

"We can get the money for the till back from the bank, but we'll never see the charity money again."

However, the pub's regulars and local residents have banded together and raised well more than the amount taken last week.

Ms Ingram said the pub raised at least £509.80 back for cancer support charity Marie Curie.

She said: "I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone that came and supported and donated and even more so for the thieves.

%image(14657605, type="article-full", alt="A pub local has his hair cut in preparation of a charity head shave. Photo: Lara Ingram")

"Regardless of their acts they did not ruin the day for any of us and we refused to let them stop us doing what we had planned."

On Sunday, August 11, Fieldy's hosted a charity day for Marie Curie. They hosted a barbecue, played live music, alongside a 'brave the shave' fundraiser.

Ms Ingram said: "Whoever screwed us over should know regardless they didn't, and couldn't, ruin the charity day."

A Suffolk Constabulary spokesperson said: "It was reported that overnight an offender or offenders forced entry to the rear of a public house.

Enquiries remain ongoing and no arrests have been made."

Once inside they caused damage to the fruit machines, jukebox, lottery machine, pool table and charity boxes. They also took money from the till.

Fieldy's will be hosting another charity fundraiser on November 17 in support of foster children and foster families.

Anyone with information of the break in should contact police on 101 quoting crime reference number 37/462657/19.