The Royal British Legion has apologised to Mitcham carnival-goers after its tombola prizes were stolen.

A discovery that a bag of prizes had gone missing left one of the organisers "in tears".

The Mitcham branch of the charity had organised a tombola for its stall at Mitcham Carnival this weekend on Saturday, June 10.

Chairman Alan Barley said it wasn't until people pulled out winning tickets they realised the prizes were gone.

The 82-year-old said he then realised a yellow bag of prizes left behind the stall when they were setting up was missing. He believes someone picked up the bag and walked off with it.

Mr Barley, said: "There were a mixture of things - a teddy bear went missing, some cans of drink, some other odds and ends.

"We had to delve about for other things we had, to give as prizes."

The Royal British Legion provides lifelong support for the Armed Forces community - men and women, veterans, and their families. Money raised at the carnival by the Mitcham branch will be donated to the Poppy Appeal, the legion's biggest fundraising campaign.

The charity employs disabled ex-Servicemen to create the paper poppies that are sold during the appeal.

Mr Barley, who worked all day taking donations alongside Ivy Poulton and Christine Kelly, said: "It took a long time to get it together. The lady who does the tombola was in tears.

"We just feel a little put out about it. People were let down and it looked bad. We want people to know that this is the reason we didn't have any prizes."