A CHARITY wishing well in Grange has been targeted by thieves for the second time in as many months.

The town’s Rotary Club collects donations from the well which is on the Prom to then distribute to local charities.

And members are upset after the money for good causes was stolen again.

Rotary president Sue Wilkinson said: “They don’t even get very much because the money is emptied regularly, but it costs more to repair the damage, and it is the principle.

“At the end of the week there can be between £10 and £15 in the well. It might not sound like much, but over a year it can mean a substantial cheque for a charity in our community.

“For example, we gave a donation to St Mary’s Hospice in Ulverston after it flooded. That is the sort of people who are missing out if someone steals from the well.

“We want to get across the message that it is going to be emptied fairly regularly so there is never going to be a great deal of money in it.”

Grange town council leader Tom Harvey was scathing of the thief.

He said: “Grange Rotary do a huge amount of charity work and fund-raising for the benefit of Grange and the wider community.

“The sort of person who has done this really is, to put it politely, the lowest of the low and they deserve to feel the full force of the law.

“Rotary are taking extra steps to try and prevent it happening again and I would urge that anyone who may know anything about this to contact the police straight away, and for walkers using the Prom to be extra vigilant for any suspicious behaviour.”

Mrs Wilkinson has also asked for advice from local police officers on how to prevent ‘this miserable crime, which causes us expense and energy’ from happening again.

"The last lock was donated by a local business but this time we have been loaned a stainless steel one as a temporary measure,” she added.

“It needs to be that strong so it cannot be broken, but is going to cost us £20 to £30 to get our own.”

The well was originally installed by Grange Round Table but was given a spruce up by Rotarians to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee last year, when they started using it to collect donations for local charities.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101.