REGULARS at a village pub have banded together to help a pensioner after raiders stole his life savings.

Bert Austin has been the target of thieves twice in two weeks - with the latest attempt to steal his money yesterday.

The 89-year-old was devastated when £600 savings were taken from his home earlier this month as he enjoyed a night out at his local pub, the Crown in Martley.

"I went back home about 9.30pm," said Mr Austin. "They'd put a chair up against the door. I pushed it to get in and all my clothes and things had been thrown around everywhere. They'd got in through a window."

Then, yesterday morning, two thieves tried to con their way into his home.

"They said 'give us all your money' and I said I hadn't got any. Then they drove off in a white van," he said.

Mr Austin said nothing like it had happened before in the 20 years he had lived in Martley.

"It isn't safe to go home and it isn't safe to go out," he said.

Now the pub has rallied round to help the former farmworker.

Landlady Belinda Luckett, who has owned and run the Crown with husband Colin for two years, said the attacks had affected the pensioner's health.

"This was his life savings," she said. "He always comes in at dinner time and at night time, and everybody knows him in here.

"He reported it to the police and they came and interviewed him in here."

The Lucketts decided to put a pot at the bar and pub regulars raised £100 to present to the pensioner.

"I never asked them to do it and I never expected it," said Mr Austin.

Eddie Jones, another regular at the Crown, who has known Mr Austin for a number of years, said he was a real character

"When Ian Botham was renting in the area he came into the pub and saw Bert in there with a pipe in his mouth making rabbit nets and he brought everyone in to see it," he said.

Mr Jones said this had attracted other stars to the pub, such as Sir Elton John and Eric Clapton.

"We're actively working on this at the moment," said a spokeswoman for Kidderminster police. "We want anyone who has seen anything suspicious to contact us as it might be helpful in building a picture of these people."

Anyone with any information about the first burglary, which took place on Wednesday, November 7, or yesterday's incident should contact Kidderminster police on 01562 820888 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.