Amy Cross plans to use her Christmas break from Aberdeen University to travel to Mexico with a volunteer group in order to help local orphans.

To help raise money for the trip, Amy had been making and selling toasties at the Albert Bar, where she works part-time as a barmaid.

Regular customers had also been making donations to the fund, which was kept in a collection tin at the back of the bar.

But on Monday morning, staff discovered the collection tin had gone missing, along with all the money that had been raised.

It is assumed the thief stole the collection tin from the bar on Sunday evening, while it was quiet.

Amy said: "I'm disgusted and heartbroken. We don't get many new people in the bar. It must have just been an opportunist – someone just saw their chance.

"Everyone was really generous. It's not the money but the spirit it was raised in. Everyone's found it disgusting. They're angry that it happened in our pub. The thief has stolen from them."

She said to the thief: "I hope you are proud of yourself. You've stolen from your friends and from orphans."

Regulars are now making fresh donations to the fund. A race night has also been organised for September 14, at the bar.

Amy said: "People have been really good. They've all pooled together, but now they're donating twice.

"One of our regulars made a big pot of chilli and people have been giving donations for that. Another regular, Joe, donated a bottle of vodka and has set up a bonus ball competition."

Co-owner of the Albert Bar, Mike Keane said: "Whoever nicked it did get a lot of money. No-one noticed anything so we don't know who it was. I'm disappointed."

Colin Burnett, who works at the bar, wrote to the Review. In his letter he said: "The monies raised was to help fund a trip to Mexico where she has volunteered to help care for orphaned children in one of the poorest areas in the country.

"Living in, she too will be subjected to the harsh realities that come with severe poverty that is without doubt difficult for most of us here to comprehend. Amy is surely a credit to our younger generation.

"With the collection tin almost bursting at the seams, it was obviously too much of a temptation for one lowlife and the tin and contents disappeared from the bar top last weekend.

"I hope the thief reads this and also hope that maybe one day he or she needs some serious life changing aid. Wouldn't it be ironic, but totally just, if that help for some reason was just out of reach!"

Jim Morrison, a regular at the bar, told the Review: "Amy is understandably devastated not just with losing the money but the fact that it was from these underprivileged kids that ultimately it was taken. The regulars and owners of the bar are planning somehow to replace the money."