More CCTV footage has been released showing a second charity collection box being stolen from a Wiltshire pub.

Police in Melksham are looking to speak to anyone who recognises a white man with short dark hair who was seen stealing a collection box for the Bath RUH’s Forever Friends cancer centre appeal from The Tavern in the Market Place.

The man, who was wearing a distinctive purple jacket, was caught on camera cutting a chain connecting the box and hiding it under his jacket at around 2.30pm on Tuesday, June 10.

A day later a similar-looking man was caught on camera at the Black Swan in Devizes, where he took a box raising funds for the Devizes Opportunity Centre at about 4.30pm.

Charlotte Wright, assistant manager at the Black Swan, said the suspect had been in the hotel a few times previously.

She said: “He must have come in here with the intention of stealing the charity box as he had scissors in his pocket and used them to cut the string off the box.

"Stealing a children’s charity box is disgusting. We have a few other charity boxes, including Wiltshire Air Ambulance, on the bar which we keep chained up.”

Anyone with information about either incident is asked to contact Wiltshire Police on 101, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.