A LARGE donation jar containing in excess of £100 has been stolen from the Christmas Tree Festival at St Eustachius’ Church in Tavistock.

Organised by the Friends of St Eustachius’ Church, the festival opened to the public at 2.30pm last Friday (November 29) but just over 48 hours later the large glass jar, containing donations from the public to help fund the church, had been stolen.

The festival, now in its 11th year, draws in people from all over West Devon who go and marvel at the Christmas trees decorated by local people, businesses, charities and other organisations.

And over the past 10 years more than £100,000 has been raised towards enhancing and maintaining the church.

Judy Hirst, one of the organisers of the Christmas Tree Festival, said: ‘All our funds go to enhance, beautify and maintain the fabric of the church.

‘The jar was seen at around 4.30pm on the Sunday and it wasn’t until Monday morning that we realised it was taken. We have searched the church and it is too big to move too far.

‘We take the notes out but we keep the coins in — I have no idea of the amount but it would not have been inconsiderable. This is all very sad.’

The Very Rev Dr Christopher Hardwick said: ‘The money in that jar from the ten day festival goes to maintain the church. This is put on for the community and we have already had large numbers of people attend.

‘It is of deep sadness that this should have happened.

‘It’s not a small pot, it is a large bell jar and would have taken two people to take it and get it through the glass doors at the church.

‘It’s community money for the town’s church — we have no other source of funding for the church. Everything that pays for the church comes from the community and we work hard to balance the books each year.

‘We would like for the jar to be returned and the money.’

On hearing of the theft, young Tavistock girl Abbigail Jillians decided to put her own pocket money in a jar to help replace what was stolen.

Her mum Julie will have the jar at her stall in Tavistock Pannier Market tomorrow (Friday) for anyone who would also like to donate to the church’s stolen funds.

The Christmas Tree Festival is running daily from 9am to 4.30pm and closes on Sunday, December 8, the afternoon of the Christingle Service at 3.30pm.