A VILLAGE'S pool, darts and lottery clubs have been left out of pocket after £1,300 was stolen from a pub.

Between closing time on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, a thief struck at the Red Lion pub, in Coxhoe, County Durham, and stole from tins kept behind the bar.

While the £290 cash float belonging to the pub was taken, most of the money was owned by its pool and darts club, which lost £495 and £250 respectively.

A further £160 was taken from pub regulars' lottery bingo fund, £50 from the bonus ball collection, and £80 from staff tips.

The landlady, Tracey Noddle, has put posters up offering a £200 reward for information leading to the thief's arrest. She said the robbery had left the community feeling shocked and disgusted.

She said: "The pool club met on Thursday night and they were very shocked to find out what had happened. The darts club will find out on Tuesday.

"This is a rural village pub, and there's nothing much to do except the activities here."

Mrs Noddle said the thief entered through a narrow window in the pool room, which she and her husband, Gary, had left open to clear the smoke every night since they took over the pub a year ago.

She said that as the pub was only insured for £500 in unsecured cash, she would have to reimburse the clubs.

"I am going to have to reimburse everyone because I don't want the clubs to suffer," she said.

A Durham police spokes- man said inquiries into the theft were continuing.