DETECTIVES are hunting two men over a stolen poppy collection box.

The pair were in Lloyds Bank in Beckenham High Street at 9.40am on November 10 when one of them removed the box from the counter and hid it under his jumper before walking out.

Bromley police have released a CCTV image of one of the men.

Jack Hilton has been selling poppies in Penge for 54 years.

The 81-year-old said:"In my opinion they want their fingers chopped off, and that's putting it mildly.

"It makes me so furious, I can't really put it into words.

"It's a different world today to when I was younger. Most young people are so good but there's a small section of just plain ignorance. War doesn't mean anything to them."

Pensioner Christel Dack, who has been selling poppies across north Kent for 53 years, condemned the theft.

Eighty-two-year-old Mrs Dack, who met her late soldier husband Donald in Germany during the Second World War, said: "These youngsters who have done this are our future.

"Why do they do it? Either they have not had a very good upbringing or they're just real thieves.

"Why can't they realise what war is all about? It doesn't do any good in the world to have a war."

A police spokesman said "There is always public disgust at the theft of charity collections and it is an emotive issue at any time of year.

"However this case is all the more despicable because the theft happened so close to Remembrance Day and involved money donated to the Royal British Legion."

Anyone with any information should call PC Tony Dobberson at the Copers Cope Safer Neighbourhood Team on 020 8721 2772 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.