THIEVES who stole money collected for the annual Poppy Appeal have been branded the lowest of the low'.

A collection box was taken from the Codfather fish and chip shop in Church Walk, Trow- bridge, and in a separate incident thieves made off with two flags used to decorate the Royal British Legion's stand in The Shires shopping centre.

Brian Mitchell from the Legion said: "These people really are the lowest of the low. They have taken money from boys out in Afghanistan or Iraq and the families of those who have died.

"It is despicable and it is pathetic we have people in our community who would do such a thing."

The poppy collection boxes were handed out to stores in the town last week and most traders began collecting on Thursday, although it is impossible to know how much was in the box that was taken. Mr Mitchell said: "I don't know how much was in there but it could have been a fair bit.

"People have been asking when they can get poppies so I expect all the people going in there would have wanted them as soon as they went on sale."

The flags taken were a Navy White Ensign and an RAF Standard, paid for not from appeal collections but from the pockets of Legion members.